A bit of a disappointment, mainly because the charming characters from the previously entries has been replaced by others, and a greedily implement of dlc content. Luckily the fighting is as good as ever.

After 22 years, we finally get a sequel to the Nintendo 64 classic Pokémon Snap. Even though a lot of time has passed, much of the gameplay is intact. You follow a fixed road forward and your mission is to photograph as many Pokémons as possible before the route reaches its end. It may not sound all that fun, but it really is. For a while anyway. Although the adventure is more than twice as long as the original and the gameplay has evolved in a few important areas, it is a bit too limited to please others than those who already love the series.

MXGP 2020 is a motocross game that on the surface looks like its rather mediocre predecessors, but with higher resolution and better framerate. After a lap on the track, however, it becomes obvious that the control and physics have been greatly improved. In a year or two, we may be laughing at MXGP 2020 due to the fairly simple graphics and lack of content, but here and now it is actually the best interpretation of the sport so far.

When Observer was originally released three years ago, it was mostly met with praise, even though the console version left a lot to be desired. But with the power of Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X, this psychological horror crime adventure corrects many of the errors from the first version – and adds greatly improved graphics and some new content. The gameplay is still limited, and the bugs are unfortunately a bit too frequent, but the world and story keeps us hooked to the end.

Darksiders Genesis is an unexpectedly great mix of Darksiders and Diablo. You will mainly hack and slash your way through the levels, but clever puzzles, fun explorations and challenging platforming makes the adventure feel familiar yet fresh at the same time. Sure, the game feels a bit low-budget at time, and especially the control and camera could use some fine-tuning. But overall, Airship Syndicate has created a real gem for anyone who wants a slightly smarter and more varied action game.

With an entertaining campaign, great online opportunities and panic-stricken zombie slaughter, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is an impressive package. Still, we can not help but feel disappointed. The best parts of the campaign could have been developed much more and the online modes feel well stripped down. Cold War still impresses, but with more development time, it could have been so much more than "this year's Call of Duty game".

Sackboy: A Big Adventure switches the creative mode from the main series to a more direct platform game. Some courses such as the rhythm-based ones are brilliant, but despite the improved control compared to Little Big Planet, most of them are too easy and slow for the experienced player. And apart from the Dual Sense features, there are no real "next gen" details that stand out.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is a good attempt to revive the toys to life genre. The AR functions are really impressive, with varied environments such as snow landscapes and lava worlds that give your living room a completely new look. Unfortunately the basic game itself is somewhat limited in terms of characters and unlockables. In addition, the 200cc mode is the only one that corresponds to the fast-paced feel from the original. And the total prize will definitely discourage a lot of curious players.

Detroit: Become Human is better than Beyond: Two Souls, but it won’t be the game that turns the skeptics around. The dialogue is poorly written and it’s hard to feel anything for the characters. It’s a story that is easy to be drawn into, but also one that doesn’t have that much to say at all.

The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf is a surprisingly enjoyable platforming game. The relatively low development budget is noticeable in some ways, but the foundation is solid enough to make it easy to ignore some lack of polish. With charming graphics and a gameplay loop that is as entertaining as challenging, it is a colorful adventure that is perfect for the whole family.

Seen as an expansion, Destiny 2: Shadowkeep is good but not great. Most of the new content is enjoyable, but the gameplay loop falls into familiar routines surprisingly fast. However, if you see the expansion as a part of a complete package, the overall improvements have transformed Destiny 2 to one of the best action games this console generation. If you haven’t tried it yet, there hasn’t been a better time to start than now.

DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power is a bit of a mixed experience. The first impression is really good with nice graphics and fun battles, but the more we play the more cracks we see in the facade. The game does not nail the humor of the TV series, the battles are often overly messy, and some technical problems hampers experience. But despite all of the problems, we still have fun when we make our way around around Metropolis - even if the experience is more reminiscent of a licensed kid’s game than the giants of the genre.

It's not hard to find things to complain about in Knack 2. The characters look terrible, the level design is overly simple and the graphics are lackluster. Despite all those problems Knack 2 manages to entertain quite a bit thanks to challenging battles, enjoyable platforming and clever puzzles. Knack 2 is far from perfect, but it’s still a fun and family-friendly experience.

Mafia 3 is the definition of a mixed bag. At times it is a great experience with a compelling story, interesting characters and an exciting world to discover. But after a few hours the game falls into a repetitive grind with the same type of mission over and over again. It is still an okay game, but it could have been so much more.

Battlefield 2042 is huge. In its best moments enormously fun, but just as often enormously frustrating, stressful and difficult to understand. All levers are at max in this game, which is a clear change from the previous games in the series. Whether you will like it or not is impossible to answer.

Call of Duty: Vanguard reminds us of the Call of Duty titles from over 15 years ago. And there is nothing wrong with a somewhat stripped-down reboot, but in this case, it feels like a lack of development time is the main reason for the cutbacks. The single player campaign looks terrific and plays great but has very few memorable moments. The zombie mode on the other hand lacks a lot of content at launch. Luckily, the main online mode offers plenty of content and the gameplay is as addicting as ever – even though everything feels very familiar.

What may look like an ordinary Japanese action game soon turns out to be so much more. In addition to battles that are as good-looking as they are tactical, we also get charismatic characters, a captivating story, and a well-developed universe. Unfortunately, both the story and the battles stumble upon themselves at times - and the environments often leave a lot to be desired. But despite the shortcomings, Scarlet Nexus is a surprisingly successful mix of action and JRPG – and a must have for anyone who wants an action game with a focus on story and depth.

There is plenty of fun to be had with Super Mario Party, if the circumstances are right. With four friends and the right mindset you will have hours of fun in front of you. Although if you prefer a fair game, can’t gather enough players, or want to play online the enjoyment falls significantly. In the end Super Mario Party might actually be the highlight of the series so far, but there is still a lot of room for improvement.

If you are planning to play Metroid Prime: Federation Force alone or even online it leaves a lot to wish for. However, with three friends playing together in the same room it can be pretty great. Just do not expect much of a “Metroid” experience.

Hyrule Warriors Legends lacks the visuals of it’s Wii U counterpart but instead offers a lot more content. However, it’s rather unplayable on a normal Nintendo 3DS and should have been released as a New Nintendo 3DS exclusive.

A lot of fun the first time around, but the novelty quickly turns into frustration. The expansions at least add some sort of value, although we wish the missions had better structure.

Paper Beast is a VR game that takes advantage of the technology's unique possibilities. When we put on the headset, we are transported to a completely different world, filled with beautiful views, a strange wildlife and clever puzzles. Unfortunately, we are also met by some muddy environments, limited controls and a few puzzles that cause more frustration than joy. In the end, Paper Beast is a different and fascinating experience, but the we miss the last bit of polish.

It has been a fact for a couple of years now that EA Sports NHL series is in need of a big renovation. The graphics is starting to look dated, the physics isn't nearly as good as PES or FIFA and the AI is unbalanced – particularly the goalie part. NHL 17 is still a pretty decent game for the hockey fans, but it's hard to not feel a bit disappointed.

Off the track, the MotoGP 21 builds upon what its predecessor did well. On the track, however, we get improved and more realistic gameplay. At first it feels like a change for the worse, but the more we play, the more we like it. We do wish MotoGP 21 had more noticeable improvements on the new generation of consoles, although significantly shorter loading times and a superb use of the Dualsense’s features does make the game more enjoyable.

With challenging yet fun racing, a career mode filled with content and a ton of different motorcycles, Ride 4 offers us most things we want from a racing game. Unfortunately, much of the enjoyment is hampered due to an unbelievably uneven difficulty level. Simple races are interspersed with challenging competitions and purely diabolical challenges. Ride 4 is still the most complete motorcycle racing game and a big upgrade compared to its predecessor - but be prepared to have your patience tested.

Watch Dogs: Legion offers light-hearted and not-too-challenging entertainment, all portrayed in a surprisingly compelling replica of London. But after a few hours of repetitive missions that lead us through the game without any major sense of development, we can not help but get a little bored quite early in the campaign.

No, NHL 21 is really not a news party by any means. It feels more like an "just because we can" attempt by EA to make one last penny on the current console generation. There is nothing major wrong with the game itself, but if you've played the prior editions of recent years you will notice the lack of new thinking.

Fifa 20 continues its dominance, albeit in the absence of real competition. The new tricks give us more entertaining offense play and the career mode is more dynamic than ever. Volta has also been updated to the point of almost becoming a separate game. Despite this we do notice that EA cannot go further than this on today's consoles, and we look forward to a new entry for the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X.

Overwatch for Switch is not the port that will make you abandon the other versions. In the end there are just too many compromises to recommend it for any purpose other than portable gaming. Even then there are factors to take into account, like the games slower frame rate. But if you can bare that, Overwatch is is one of the better fps games for the Switch. Just not exactly the same Overwatch as other versions.

Paper Mario: Color Splash is one of those games that works best if you play it a couple of hours each time. The graphical design is as wonderful as ever, and the adventure offers plenty of charming settings. Sadly the gameplay feels a little too monotonous, and the battles aren’t as dynamic as the previous games. 


16 years after the first Psychonauts, the long-awaited sequel is here. A sequel that feels familiar, yet time improved in every way. Just like its predecessor, we get clever platforming, imaginative worlds, and wonderful characters. Unfortunately, we also get substandard battles, uneven level design and a somewhat unpolished package. It is quite noticeable that Psychonauts 2 is a grassroots-funded indie game at its core, but in the end its not all that hard to forgive the faults.

Making a superhero game is difficult, but making a VR game with free flying might be even more difficult. Still, developer Camouflaj manages to avoid most traps and deliver an action-packed adventure where, above all, the battles are wonderfully intense and entertaining. It's a shame that the pace is all over the place, and the game needed better mission variety. But in the end, most faults can be forgiven; no other game has managed to capture the feeling of being Iron Man. A fact that goes a long, long way.

Potata: Fairy Flower is a cheerful little adventure filled with tricky platforming, puzzles, and challenging boss battles. It will not win any awards for originality and it falls flat compared to the top games in the genre. But in the end, some missteps do not stop Potata: Fairy Flower from being a surprisingly enjoyable experience for the whole family.

Biomutant is an odd and brave addition to the action role-playing game genre, but is plagued by substandard storytelling and repetitive elements. The smart system for weapons and the equipment construction are the games salvation. As a whole though, the game does not live up to the hype.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football is a wonderfully chaotic and entertaining football game where violent kicks and punches are as important as good passes. Unfortunately, the lack of content dampens the fun for solo-players, so football-hungry friends or the ability to forgive the limited online mode is a must.

It’s not hard to find faults in Man of Medan, both in terms of story and gameplay. And yet we can’t stop playing until we’ve seen several endings. At the same time, we can’t shake the feeling that this is a downgrade compared to Until Dawn – a game released four years ago. But still, there is quite a lot to like here, and the low price makes it a solid purchase for horror fans.

Mario Golf: Super Rush is a well-made and entertaining sports game that shows that Nintendo and Camelot learned their lesson after the content-poor Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash. We especially appreciate the new "Speed golf" mode, which gives the sport a dynamic touch that is otherwise difficult to find. However, we do miss some elements from previous games, such as minigolf and gameplay changing items to use during the rounds.

At it's core, Warcraft 3: Reforged is as good, entertaining and addictive as ever. But that core has already turned into a teenager and feels unnecessarily outdated in many respects. This is a game that shows how difficult it can be to revive an immortal classic without stepping on toes.

If you enjoy both portable gaming and horror, there is no better option right now. Playing with headphones is a must to feel the eerie atmosphere. Preferably the surroundings should also be dim. Just don't forget that you are still on earth, where everybody can hear you scream.

It is certainly not difficult to find faults in Gravel. On the other hand, it's just as easy to put the pedal to the metal and enjoy the wonderfully exaggerated races. Rarely has a racing game been this fun and varied, although It could – and maybe should – have been better in a lot of ways.

When the old Gameboy Advance game Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team get a Switch-remake the new shiny graphics makes a great first impression. The gameplay has been also improved, but not to the same extent sadly. There was a lot of questionable game design in the original game, and a lot of the old problems are still here. However, if you are a Pokémon fanatic who doesn't care what the pocket monsters do, there is a pretty big chance you will like Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX. For everyone else, there are plenty of better games to choose from on the Nintendo Switch.

The Surge is something really promising – challenging but fair with a strong sense of progression. At the same time the story, characters and game world is uninspiring and boring. Right now it’s only a descent Dark Souls tribute without a strong identity of its own.

On the one hand, Darius Cozmic Collection Console deserves praise for giving us access to nine rare and classic shoot 'em ups. Nine titles that, for the most part, hold a high standard to this day. On the other hand, the collection deserves to be criticized since several of the included games are nothing more than regional repeats. The lack of settings and bonus content is also disappointing. The collection is still a must have for big fans of the genre, but if you just want an old-school shoot ‘em up there are better and cheaper options.

NHL 18 has plenty of content for the hockey fan, whether you play offline or online. The new skill focused gameplay is a welcome addition, as well as the party mode "Threes". But just like the previous games NHL 18 feels a little too unpolished on the ice. This series is still in need of a renovation.

All in all, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is not a large-scale return, but not a disaster either. The fact that the single player campaign is back and is of course welcomed. It's is very ambitious but most of the time it feels like we are getting more of the same. And that more of the same right now feels mostly old.

Although the innovative concept is very impressive and while we are undeniably entertained when working with Labo, this can hardly be counted as one of Nintendo's great successes. We also have to admit that we did not pick up our first Labo creations any more time after the initial weeks. We suspect that the same thing will happen with the vr packages.

Lonely Mountains: Downhill is the perfect game to play between other big gaming sessions. It's easy to pick up and the adrenaline will become addictive. The only real downside is that the control methods take time to get used to, which can deter some.

Hey! Pikmin isn’t a bad game, it just feels a bit uninspiring. The level design is boring, the visuals look outdated and the game lacks variation. It’s easy to pick up for everyone and can be fun in shorter sessions, but overall Hey! Pikmin is a disappointment.

The latest game in the Sonic-franchise is everything you’d expect; intense, high tempo, simple and predictable. However, the controls lack of precision and the few levels stops it from reaching its former glory.

At best, Monster Hunter Stories is a good Pokémon knock off for fans of the genre. The flawed story makes it difficult to recommend for others.

Day of the Tentacle Remastered is in every way a reminder of where the adventure genre was in the early 90’s. It has a pretty shallow story, badly written dialogue and underdeveloped characters. Surely the remastered will probably make fans of the original happy, but for anyone else this is more a proof of how much story telling and puzzle design has progressed since.

The amount of new content on display here doesn’t make up for a subpar single-player, a still lackluster multiplayer and an absolutely abhorrent use of microtransactions.

Big Brain Academy: Brain vs Brain is a puzzle game that is easy to learn but difficult to master. Lone players will unfortunately get tired relatively quickly due to the meager content. As a family-friendly party game, it fits much better, as long as everyone knows the English language fairly well.

On a visual level Star Fox Zero looks great, and it has several really interesting ideas. Sadly the controller scheme is so frustrating that it ruins almost everything. And that’s really is too bad because it would have been a great nostalgic trip for fans of Lylat Wars/Star Fox 64.

For those who want a realistic handheld racing game, Moto GP 19 for Switch is an accepted alternative. It looks fine and is packed with content. However, if you intend to play on a television, we would rather recommend the other versions of the game.

Fun shooter with wonderful environments that had needed a few months extra of development time. As of now it suffers from empty spots and far too many bugs. One does simply not release games with invisible walls.

With interpretations of five classic titles, 198X is a loving tribute to the gaming world in the 80s and 90s. The graphics and sound of each game excel, but a weak story and a total playtime of less than two hours, makes the experience abrupt and incoherent. Hopefully, part two will solve the problems that exist, because the foundation is promising.

Mass Effect Andromeda is the anticipated sequel to the hit space trilogy that, sadly enough, doesn’t deliver. Sketchy animations, uninspiring characters and uneven story make this one a space-adventure to quickly forget.

Fallout 76 is an unfinished game, set in a world that lacks pretty much everything we learned to love in the previous ones. One of the biggest disappointments this year.

Despite its name, Project Cars 3 is anything but a sequel to the realistic Project Cars 2. For better or worse, this is more of a sequel to Need for Speed Shift. Instead of tactical and demanding gameplay, Project Cars 3 aims for fast and thrilling races, spiced with an ounce of realism. It might sound like a disaster, but if you know what to expect, there is a lot of fun to be had here - if it was not for all the bugs and some odd design choices that currently ruin the experience. After a few updates the game might very well be worth your time, but at the moment it is better to wait.

As an open world co-op game Wildlands mistakes scope for depth and leaves the player with a monotonous and shallow action game consisting of a bare minimum of parts and elements most players will have already experienced many times before. Skip it.

WWE 2K Battlegrounds is a party-oriented wrestling game with simple controls and deformed wrestlers. A package that works surprisingly well thanks to quick and flashy matches. However, the lack of depth is apparent, and it is difficult to ignore all the microtransaction - even if they are optional. It is still a fun party game, especially for the fans, but wait for a price drop.

Charismatic characters and a well-made combat system does not prevent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan from being a complete snoozefest. It is not a good sign when “Find the enemies!” is a common mission in an action game.

With gorgeous graphics and meaty battles, Godfall has a good chance to become a popular launch title. It does not matter that the game severely lacks variety and a decent story, when we get new flashy graphics. The problem for Godfall is that there are plenty of other launch games for Playstation 5, games that offer more than just nice graphics and great control. Actions fans might still find plenty to like here, but wait for a sale.

Predator: Hunting Grounds is not a very good game, but it is not broken either. It is mostly mediocre. Yet we usually have a great time when we fight in the jungle, whether it is as soldiers or the predator. The online matches generally work well and it is pretty nerve-wracking to try to complete the goals. In the end, however, the price tag is a bit high and the content is lacking, but if you like the genre it is a good buy - especially when it is on sale.

Unfortunately, many of the previous versions' flaws are still in Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, and some new ones have been added. The game is a bit neat and we do like some elements. But there are too many bugs and a great lack of depth for us to be drawn into the large and relatively deserted game world of Aurora.

It has been almost 20 years since Parappa the Rapper, and many of us still have good memories from it. Sadly, Parappa the Rapper doesn't hold up in 2017, mostly because some really poor mechanics. Do yourself a favor: don't buy this, and keep the memories as they were.

Paradise Lost takes us an abandoned yet magnificent bunker. With underground palaces, shopping streets and lush gardens, there is no shortage of memorable places to discover. Unfortunately, the storytelling is lacking, and it takes a while before the story gets somewhat interesting. All in all, Paradise Lost is a bland experience that is further hampered by some technical problems, but thanks to the beautiful environments together with a relatively low price, the bunker is still worth visiting for fans of the genre.