Skeptics who open up and allow themselves to be immersed will thus experience over time what a masterpiece Baldur's Gate 3 has become. The graphics are stunning, the dialogues just make sense and the decisions you make effectively have lasting consequences - no matter how painful they may be at times. It is these subtleties that bring the world of Baldur's Gate 3 to life. This is not just Belgian excellence, but simply world class.

Thanks to the addition of the Ultrahand ability, Tears of the Kingdom becomes a kind of all-round friend to every kind of gamer. Those who want to can create, puzzle, cook, unwind and enjoy the scenery. But just as well experience adventures, fight and encounter pretty tough challenges that will take even the most seasoned gamer quite a while. It is highly exceptional for a single game to personify the desiderata of all these personas.

If we do have one point of criticism, it is that there is no option to play the game in pairs. Games with such a co-op option are scarce these days, but it could have completed the experience completely. Still, as far as we are concerned, this space adventure deserves all the stars. All in all, Astro Bot is a very fun, accessible game. In fact, we dare say more: in this game, Astro rivals Mario as a platform king. Sorry, Nintendo.

This DLC does not aim to win over new fans, because Shadow of the Erdtree is in essence - and we say this with the utmost respect - just more Elden Ring. Somehow that was the expectation, but no one saw an expansion on this scale coming. It is getting a bit ridiculous with these superlatives that keep falling short. It's simple: all those who enjoyed Elden Ring should play this right now.

After previous hits such as Bastion, Transistor, and of course Hades, Supergiant Games has perfected its tried-and-tested formula. Hades II is a triumph that is both funny and accessible, yet brutally difficult and complex. Honestly, we wouldn't want to be in the developers' shoes. How on earth do you top this?

Game makers: take note. Metroid Prime Remastered is a masterclass in how to modernize a masterpiece. Twenty years after the series made the transition to 3D, this remains a classic that has stood the test of time. The updated visuals prove that with some optimization and visual tricks, the Switch is really capable of delivering great games. In fact, this is one of prettier – if not the prettiest –Switch games to date.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is, just like its predecessor, relentless. It's not a gentle adventure for beginners. Although this can make it frustrating at times, the game is exactly what fans had hoped for. Exhausting, yes, but also incredibly atmospheric. The game exudes mystery. The creators took their time making this sequel and worked out every detail meticulously. And my god, their world is beautifully designed. Hollow Knight: Silksong is a big challenge for a small price. It was well worth the long wait. But let me say it one more time: this game is not for everyone.

Metaphor: Refantazio is the latest addition from the stable of Atlus, the developer that previously brought us award-winning series such as Shin megami tensei and Persona. Atlus is pretty much considered the hallmark for Japanese RPGs and delivers perhaps its best work with this one. Japanese RPGs like this are not for everyone, but fans have a masterpiece with Metaphor: Refantazio.

God of War Ragnarök is bigger and grander than its predecessor in every way. More destinations, more enemies, vaster environments, more difficult puzzles and bigger stakes. Predecessor ‘God of War’, however, set the bar so immeasurably high for itself. 'Ragnarök' is a rock-solid game and highly recommended, only we're quietly getting used to sequels like this from Sony.

Console gamers had to wait quite a few months, but one of the most lauded games of 2020 is finally available for Playstation and Xbox. And 'Hades' has everything it needs to excel on the new platforms as well.

Another box ticked on the list. After recent remakes of Resident evil 2 and 3, it was time for Capcom to give the fourth installment in their acclaimed game series a makeover. The bar was set high, as 2005's Resident Evil 4 is considered by many to be the best survival horror game ever. Contrary to what the crosses on the list suggested, they did not deliver a tire job but a new masterpiece.

How do you handle the reworking of one of the greatest classical works in history? With great patience, skill and respect. With video games, it's no different than with other art forms. 'Final Fantasy VII' was not just restored, but completely remade. 'Rebirth' is not a sacrilege, but the finest tribute this classic could ever receive.

A Japanese game about an Italian plumber who eats mushrooms to get bigger. Mario games have always been trippy by design, but with "Super Mario Wonder," Nintendo puts the turbo on the psychedelics. Every time you pick up one of the new Wonder Flowers, the world is figuratively - sometimes literally - turned upside down. Time after time, it's a sweeping and engaging change to the laws of physics (of the game, admittedly) that make your inner child coo.

It sounds contradictory, but the new storyline is both the ultimate asset and the great weakness of the game. After all, Endwalker builds on a story that has been going on for eight years. To fully understand and experience everything, you need all that background. Endwalker is the pinnacle for existing players of Final Fantasy XIV, but not so accessible for new players who only now want to catch up. And that gets in the way of an absolute top score.

If you ask us, we would place Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in the same category as generational games such as Final Fantasy VII (1997) and Chrono Trigger (1995). It is in good company, as both games are classics and belong to the cream of the crop of role-playing games. Memorable games that still resonate with an entire generation of players years, even decades later. Fans of the genre, enjoy this. Because a debut game with these qualities, showered with superlatives, is a rare occurrence.

The graphics, lighting and weather effects are some of the best we've seen in a racing game, but of course it's all about the cars. Although this is an arcade racer that does not focus on realism but rather on short and fast action, the cars behave truthfully and react differently whether you are driving on a track, on the street or off road. The controls have been kept simple, making the game accessible to just about anyone. Altogether, this makes Forza Horizon 5 the most fun racing game of the moment.

Sixteen years after the first game and no less than six years after the announcement that there would be a sequel, Psychonauts 2 is finally on the market. But is it worth the long wait? We're not going to beat about the bush. The answer is yes.

The expectations for Split Fiction were already high, and that has everything to do with the previous game developed by Hazelight Studios: It Takes Two (2021). The game - also playable exclusively in pairs - sold more than twenty million copies worldwide and at the time won the Game Award for game of the year. A juggernaut that received a perfect score from us. Split Fiction falls just short of that mark. The secret of It Takes Two was a unique combination of working together and challenging each other, of originality and humor. Split Fiction is also highly original and fun, but is just that little bit less surprising than its predecessor.

Thanks to Donkey Kong Bananza the Switch 2 has landed its first five-star game. Adding new layers on top of the 3D platformer genre (only to tear them down again) this games proves to be a better selling point for the Switch 2 than launch title Mario Kart World.

'Satisfactory' is a strange beast. The idea behind it is simple: you are dropped on an alien planet and must then build a factory from scratch. What's the fun in that? We didn't really understand that either, because it's surprisingly similar to work. The game is also not perfect: it has disturbing graphical glitches, the alien fauna and flora get boring quickly, and we also noticed that after a while our PC was toiling as hard as our factory. Still, we have to admit that these minus points cannot spoil the fun: Satisfactory turns out to be a wonderful game that we will be enjoying for a very long time.

The extra features make Dragon quest XI S one of the best role playing games in recent history, but also make it a tough job. To explore the entire game world, finish the epic story and unravel all its secrets, you will need more than 100 hours of playtime. However, it also makes it the ideal companion to bring some light to these dark winter days.

The result is a surprisingly layered and extremely addictive game, with pixelated retro graphics. Cleverly designed too, as all the bleeps and effects constantly provide little shots of dopamine, much like a jackpot, slot machine or coin toss from the luna park. The addition of jokers and bonus cards made available seemingly at random make each game different, and replayability almost endless.

Don't expect meaningful choices that affect the rest of the game, dialogue options that push the story in a different direction, or the ultimate freedom to create a character and explore a vast universe. It's a blockbuster of the best kind. A popcorn movie where you follow an established storyline, but which is so addictive that you lose track of time. True to Marvel tradition, there is a scene in the middle and at the end of the (admittedly interminable) credits that paves the way for another sequel. Although it will be difficult for any sequel to top this game.

No, we were not waiting for a remaster of ‘The Last of Us Part II’, now less than four years old. But this new version adds so much to the original that it is by far the best possible way to experience this epic game.

'Street Fighter,' 'Mortal Kombat' or just 'Tekken' after all: the battle for the title of best fighting game is as old as the genre itself, but with 'Tekken 8' it has been settled: 'The King of Iron Fist Tournament' knocks out the competition. Stop what you are doing and go play this game.

There are some games that make you think, “How come no one thought of this before?” Well, Pokémon Pokopia is one of those games. It’s a cozy game like Animal Crossing, with a touch of Minecraft—all mixed in with Pokémon. It’s cute, relaxing, and surprisingly deep. Pokémon Pokopia is a cozy game of rare quality. It almost evokes nostalgic feelings of a time when the world stood still and we all escaped en masse to a video game island for hundreds of hours.

It's big, bigger, biggest for Xenoblade chronicles 3. It's all the more galling that the game manages to captivate from start to finish. An unadulterated epic adventure.

The world’s most famous Italian plumber has a problem. Ever since Super Mario Odyssey the bar has been raised to astronomic heights. Can a rerelease from 2013 tip that bar? Of course not. Can Bowser’s fury raise that bar even further? Not quite yet, but it’s close.