Galactic Glitch is a physics-based twin-stick shooter with roguelike progression that impresses above all with its straightforward and fluid gameplay. Even though a lot depends on luck, the fast-paced arcade shooting is captivating thanks to the wide variety of exciting weapons and upgrades.

An asynchronous multiplayer experiment with a great atmosphere, but some weaknesses in the core gameplay.

No, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers certainly does not reinvent the wheel. Leenzee clearly draws inspiration–in many aspects, even meticulously–from the acclaimed works of genre pioneers FromSoftware. However, Wuchang implements its obvious inspirations extremely competently, enriching them with a handful of interesting ideas of their own, thus keeping genre fans thoroughly entertained for 30 to 40 hours.

Lysfanga combines action-packed hack & slay battles with a clever puzzle mechanic that allows you to solve arenas full of opponents in co-op with yourself thanks to the time loop. However, the idea only really shines if you like to challenge yourself, find the optimal build and keep chasing a better time.

Still Wakes the Deep is a very intensely orchestrated remote horror. However, its effect is heavily dependent on whether you find the setting of a remote oil rig terrifying or not. Are you afraid of underwater steel structures, metallic liminal spaces or the open sea? Then this game is your perfect nightmare, with grotesque monsters included! Otherwise, you may find the game's very linear gameplay and relatively reduced mechanics to be a negative.

While Metro: Awakening delivers an immersive VR experience with innovative controls and atmospheric environments, technical shortcomings in graphics and sound design prevent it from reaching its full potential, especially when it comes to the realization of the fascinating world of the novels.

Dying is part of DeathSprint 66. If you're not careful, a race can quickly become overwhelming. And that's exactly what makes it so appealing. The laps are incredibly exciting and leave you with sweaty hands afterwards. Good reactions are necessary here, and in more than a few races, I really felt my adrenaline kick in. Added to this are the different movement options and the over-the-top items. DeathSprint's fast-paced style of play encourages you to complete the race as perfectly as possible without dying (too many times) and cross the finish line as the winner. And although the game does a lot right, you can't ignore the elephant in the room. DeathSprint 66 is struggling with its player numbers and if Sumo Newcastle doesn't do something quickly, you'll soon be sprinting alone across the deadly race tracks. At least the multiplayer mode can be filled up with bots and the pure PvE mode is entertaining, but the most fun is still racing against real players.

Atomfall thinks smaller than Fallout on many levels. The merciless mission between detective thriller and fight for survival is the highlight of the game, but it quickly melts through the core. Because after a wave of euphoria, Atomfall remains a soulless game that hints at a lot but contains hardly anything - apart from repetition.

Mafia: The Old Country is a classic case of ‘more than the sum of its parts’. The individual game elements may not be outstanding, but when taken together and framed by this beautiful ‘faux open world’, they still make for a fantastic game. Yes, it does carry some baggage, but if you're in the mood for great characters, competent gameplay and some spectacular staging (with beautiful landscapes!), you simply owe yourself a trip to Sicily.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a game that, in my opinion, is all too rare in this form. GSC Game World has managed to create an incredibly atmospheric combination of survival, horror and end time in a fascinating environment. Despite all the shooter weaknesses, the wooden dialogues, the incredibly annoying anomalies over time and some dubious technical problems, I fell in love with this zone. You won't find that much freedom and mystery anywhere else. Added to this is a story that takes its time to get it going, but then surprises with cool factions and robust characters. This excursion to Chernobyl requires patience and stamina, but rewards you with spectacular views, fierce battles and an expressive end time.

A compelling return for Max Caulfield with a gripping story and emotional depth, held back by technical issues and repetitive environments.

John Carpenter's Toxic Commando delivers a loud, chaotic co-op bloodbath with a healthy dose of 80s kitsch. While other multiplayer competitors strive for polished, strategic gameplay, the trash team crashes the party here, roaring and behaving like complete hooligans. More splatter, monsters and non-stop action could hardly fit into a multiplayer shooter, and this is achieved here in a technically impressive way. Oh, and pigs like to roll around in the mud. That fits, because the Mudrunner influences and the poison slick monsters are on top of that. Nevertheless, the game suffers from a very tough progression system and a pacing that can hardly be improved upon after the furious start. Nevertheless, if you're in the mood for technically impressive mass battles with an immensely high enemy density and whimsical off-road excursions with three friends, you'll find a unique shooter package here that will make fans of World War Z particularly happy.

Darwin's Paradox is a wacky platformer-stealth adventure packed with details and featuring a protagonist whose eight arms you just can't help but love.

Screamer is a mechanically brilliant arcade racer that successfully blends 90s nostalgia with a deep, technical twin-stick control scheme and a striking 80s anime aesthetic. While the ambitious 70-chapter story campaign suffers from uneven pacing and melodramatic writing, the actual racing feels incredibly visceral and rewarding, delivering one of the most intense and addictive driving experiences in recent years.

Karma: The Dark World is not a classic survival horror - but an audiovisual experiment with a political undertone that feels like a fever dream. A project that should rather be understood as an interactive work of art, possibly even as a critical statement. Atmospherically, it is brilliant, its content deep - but playfully often too slow and stiff to reach a wide audience. For anyone interested in symbolic narratives, dystopian systems and artistic forms of fear, it's a game that will stay with you for a long time.

Expectations for Rematch may have been somewhat exaggerated in the run-up to its launch – the hype was evident in the high registration numbers for the open beta. However, Sloclap has actually succeeded in breathing new life into the football simulation genre. After years of homeopathic FIFA ‘upgrades’ at best, we should be grateful that a development studio has dared to try something new. The game may still be a little rough around the edges, but it's a lot of fun right from the start. The skill-based system provides plenty of motivation to learn the different moves in the matches. (The name ‘Rematch’ is therefore very apt.) It remains to be seen whether Sloclap has a game here that offers enough depth in the medium term. First, the studio should get the glitches under control – and add the much-desired cross-play mode.

A tense and atmospheric sci-fi horror story that starts familiar but grows into something distinctly its own, powered by strong characters, smart branching structure, and a chilling sense of distrust.

Capes offers solid turn-based strategy with cool skill synergy and a nice hero design. However, Spitfire Interactive's debut suffers from clear weaknesses in terms of staging, overview and character depth.

Great visual concepts and wacky characters don't make up for the underlying issues of its repetitive encounters and tedious level design.

Terminator 2D: No Fate plays like some of the best, most beaufitul 16 bit run 'n gun titles of days gone by. Its varied gameplay, amazing pixel art and insanely good soundtrack make for roughly 40 minutes of brilliant fun - and then you're done. You can now do it all over again on higher difficulty levels or in the no continues arcade mode, a boss rush mode or an infinite survival mode, or even unlock some dubious alternative story moments. If and how much you enjoy this depends on whether or not you have the time and motivation to master this game to perfection. Otherwise, you'll be getting a very entertaining, albeit also very short gameplay experience for your money.

Two years after its release, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora still offers one of the most beautifully breath-taking worlds we have ever experienced in a video game. The gameplay mix of stealth, shooting, hunting, gathering and crafting is entertaining in short bursts. However, it feels a little too shallow and repetitive for lengthy trips to Pandora. The story presentation is weak, NPCs are walking tropes and the plot offers zero nuance or grey area. The DLC From the Ashes offers better pacing and fast-paced action, whilst also delivering noticeably better cutscenes and story moments. The DLC feels better and more entertaining than the base game, however, it's also a lot shorter than Frontiers of Pandora.

Empire of the Ants is a beautiful and ambitious ant adventure that illustrates the universe at our feet in fantastic quality. Beyond its insect simulator, however, the real-time strategy falls a little short. There is too little variety in the missions, the controls offer too few tactical options and are a little too confusing when building the nests. In addition, there are strange exploration missions that contribute little to the plot, but are more annoying than enriching with their game mechanics. At least there is a multiplayer mode, but this also suffers from a lack of variety in the armies.

Lots of light, little shadow! The new Commandos adventures are every bit as good as the old games and, naturally, even better than they were back then in technical terms. The test version was already in perfect condition, with no crashes or stuttering whatsoever. However, Claymore Games must be criticized for not breaking any new ground in terms of innovation and relying entirely on the old warhorses who liked the gameplay back in 1998 and have no desire for major changes. Because there's nothing really new here. So if you like the gameplay and first got to know it through a game like Shadow Tactics, then we highly recommend taking a trip to the mother of the sub-genre. However, if you were actually expecting something new in the realm of real-time tactics, you might be slightly disappointed. The origins are also reflected in the game design – this is a return to the roots, not a move towards new branches.

Sand Land is a visually stunning adaptation of Akira Toriyama's cult hit manga. Though it showcases some interesting gameplay concepts, the game ultimately suffers from repetitive mission structures as well as bloated crafting systems.

Super Meat Boy 3D is a faithful translation of the indie classic into the third dimension while infusion it with great ideas from other platformers

Supermassive Games successfully translates the macabre aesthetic, delivering superb monster design and visual highlights. However, the experience is hindered by padding, inconsistent pacing, and an underutilized, online-only co-op feature, preventing Little Nightmares 3 from reaching the compact brilliance of its predecessors.

Harold Halibut is a work of art in many ways: it has a quirky sense of humour, lots of personality and a scurrilous charm that doesn't care whether it appeals to a wide audience or not. If you appreciate that and the analogue stop-motion style, you won't be able to get enough of the game. But if you expect more than an interactive film, you might not be satisfied.

The plot of Altered Echoes is a fever dream, and I mean that in a good way. Even after the credits roll, I still don’t quite understand what just happened, but that’s pretty much how it has to be in a Little Nightmares game. It expands on the lore, picks up on creepy nightmare motifs, and presents an unreal world where you can never be sure what’s coming next. That’s exactly what I expect from a game in this universe, which is why I’m very satisfied with the experience despite the lack of a coherent narrative. It’s just a shame that the technical shortcomings noticeably dampen the fun.