Arkham City is the best reflection of the Batman-comic books ever. Not because of the sheer amount of famous enemies that challenge our hero, but thanks to the amazing atmosphere that oozes from every pore of this remarkable action game. [Nov 2011, p.70]

Despite the breakneck pace of the prologue, it takes quite a while for The Last of Us to pick up some speed again. However, once the cold harsh winter arrives, the action (and story) ramps up. So much so, it puts most Hollywood productions to shame. [July 2013, p.76]

Multiple dimensions and a clever scenario with a surprise around every corner make it difficult for us to explain our enthusiasm without spoiling the story. Only the extended ghost chase (literally) halfway through the game drags on a bit too long. [April 2013, p.74]

At its core Persona 4: Golden seems little more than an adult version of Pokémon. The Persona you collect, are all based on myths, legends, religion or superstitious beliefs. No cute Squirtle or Piplup by your side, but cool looking creatures like Ares, Phoenix or Saturnus. [February 2013, p.84]

The RGP elements have been toned down considerably in favour of more action. For some this will sound like a bad thing, but trust us when we say that Bioware has thought this through. With the Reapers invading, it would be kind off silly to go on a shopping spree on the citadel. [April 2012, p.60]

This is a game full of emotions for gamers who are willing to embrace it. A beautiful fantasy land that makes loading times a thing of the past and is full of surprises. Not only do you get a lot of variety in the locations, the gameplay offers a lot of different experiences as well. [December 2011, p.66]

For adventurers who prefer a stealthy approach, we have good news: the balance between shooting and taking enemies out with your fists is much better balanced this time round. Nearly every confrontation can be handled in various ways. [Nov 2011, p.58]

Journey isn't a game, it's an experience. An awe inspiring experience that will give goose bumps at every other turn. You will notice soon enough when you flying through the bright blue sky accompanied by creatures that look like the love child of an octopus and a flying carpet. [April 2012, p.98]

It appears there is more to Pandora than just the monotone dried-out scrapyard we saw three years ago. Not only is there more scrapyard to be explored than ever before, it has also become much more varied. From green grassy meadows to rocky mountain villages and cold snowy fields. [October p.56]

Make no mistake, the difficulty has been ramped up considerably. Something we, as grown up gamers, can truly appreciate. Even the first worlds aren't all that easy, since the levels vary greatly in difficulty. Don't expect a new Demon's Souls, but be prepared to make that same jump a dozen times. [September p.80]

The gigantic NBA stadiums are a delight to behold. It's an amazing feeling when you finish a fastbreak with a devastating slam dunk. The crowd goes absolutely wild, even the players on the bench have a little party. [Nov 2011, p.78]

Even simple objectives in Far Cry 3, like clearing out a watch post filled with pirates, still offer a plethora of choices, possibilities and tactics. Sure it's tempting to charge in with your AK-47, but scouting out the place first is crucial to surviving.[December 2012, p.52]

The latest and greatest DLC for Mass Effect 3. BioWare clearly put a lot of love and care into this small bit of fan service. It takes itself less serious than the main game and that is what makes it so special. BioWare couldn't have said goodbye in a better way. [April 2013, p.89]

It still plays like a Japanese fairy tale infused with intelligent Zelda-like gameplay and a riveting plot. It's a history lesson about Japanese culture and mythology. It has a fantastic soundtrack. It's Okami. It's in HD. Buy it. Now. [December 2012, p.94]

This year it isn't just about your basketball skills, it's also about how popular you can become. A Twitter feed will let you know what fans are saying about your last game and you can capture some hearts by showing up at charity events. [November 2012, p.74]

With losing the United States, we also lost our biggest source of incoming funds. And no funding equals no means to combat the enemy. XCOM is all about long term planning, which we found out the hard way. [November 2012, p.58]

You can combine Corvos weapons and superpowers in an almost infinite of ways, which can result in some pretty satisfying outcomes. Throw a proximity mine, called a spring razor, on a rat. Then take possession of the rat and walk up to the nearest guard. Then watch the limbs fly. [November 2012, p.66]

Kojima-san spent most of his childhood in front of the television and always wanted to be a movie director. Even though he might not have made it to Hollywood, his genius and cinematic talent are what made this series and its characters so iconic. [March 2012, p.90]

Michel Ancel and his team members have delivered a near perfect port. The only thing bothering us about this Vita version is the lack of any form of co-op, undoubtedly the most entertaining feature of the PS3 game. [March 2012, p.64]

The biggest positive about COD has nothing to do with gameplay or graphics. It's the all-inclusive social service Elite. Activision has learned a lot from the likes of Facebook and Twitter. You get loads of ways to connect to and interact with friends who are playing the game. [December 2011, p.54]

Maybe the biggest revolution is the Memorizer, a feature that allows you to store and save data in your home made levels. In short it means that you can potentially create your own RPGs, complete with statistics and items. [November 2012, p.78]

Online play will be the biggest difference maker for FIFA 13 and will directly affect even a simple game between two friends. Want to play a game of Man U against Man C, but both Van Persie and Balotelli were injured recently? Then the game will automatically limit your player selection. [October 2012, p.62]

There's a ton of dialogue to be heard and choices to made and even though they won't impact the story all that much – it has a fixed ending – The Walking Dead's story shines and delivers one of the best game-endings we've ever seen. And that's all what matters here. [January 2013, p.96]

Rockstar proves it doesn't need bleak snowfalls, neon lights or long raincoats to conjure up a great film noir aesthetic. A darker game doesn't exist. The sinister atmosphere might be even a bit too depressing at times. [June 2012, p.72]

If you never cared about the character Lara Croft, this game will change that. The way Camilla Luddington portrays her is very believable and you'd need to have a hart of stone not to flinch every time Lara gets a beating. [March 2013, p.62]

When we say "we", we mean "we" and not "you", because every player up until now has built up different relationships with different characters through the many choices they have had to make. This time your companionship will leave the motel by train. [October 2012, p.78]

The game only really opens up for those who are true fans of the sport: those who rejoice in delving through a mountain of statistics and tactics. Baseball can be spectacular, but not every game is. And MLB captures that feeling perfectly. [April 2013, p.92]

The ultra-violent indie hit Hotline Miami has found its way unto our PlayStation 3 an Vita and it is a drug infused combination between GTA, Metal Gear, neon lights and animal masks. Yes, you should play this. [September p.91]

We had the most fun playing the game with just one other player. Four players on screen is too hectic, two is just right and a lot more fun than taking on the enemies on your own. The only thing we miss is online co-op for when you don't have a friend handy. [December 2011, p.94]

Prolonged hugging sessions on the tatami, barbaric fist fighting marathons in the octagon: you will experience it all. We even won on points on time. And that was only the second round! Saving your energy for the next round isn't an unnecessary precaution. [March 2012, p.78]

Aside from the updated controls, Blizzard has also adapted the inventory to be less like a puzzle and more like a traditional list of items. This might be less “RPG-like”, but it does make everything a whole lot smoother and easier to navigate. [October 2013 p.68]

Not Escape Plan, but Tales From Space is the indie hit on the PlayStation Vita we've all been waiting for. A strange concoction of Katamari and Loco Roco that could have used a little bit more time and money for its visuals, but still shines because of its magnificent and pure gameplay. [April 2012, p.101]

The AI of your fellow teammates has been ramped up considerably, making them wide open for a pass much more often. Exciting duels, where the ball changes owner multiple times are not just an exception anymore, they are to be expected. [October 2013 p.74]

“Every song ends but that's no reason not to enjoy the music” is probably the best way to describe this final DLC for one the biggest shooters in history. Just like every extra content before, we enjoyed End Game a lot. [April 2013, p.88]

Fans of the series will rejoice, but newcomers who never tuned in unto the Midnight Channel may be overwhelmed by the walls of text developer Arc Systems throws at the player. Luckily for them, there is still an arcade mode to enjoy. [June 2013, p.78]

Whereas characters in western RPG's tend to nag more than the average math teacher, the inhabitants of the beautiful world that is Ni no Kuni tend to have an intelligent sense of humour, rarely seen in games. [January 2013, p.62]

The nine multiplayer maps seem to be designed specifically to let players come up with their own creative strategies. Compared to COD, this gives the player a real sense of freedom. There is no such thing as a perfect strategy or a trotten path. [December 2011, p.74]

After opening thousands of treasure chests in Borderlands 2, you'd think Gearbox would have figured out by now that we are really good at it. But who are we to complain, just look at all that new loot. It's so beautiful. It's so precious. It's ours! [December 2012, p.93]

Naval combat is an exciting cat-and-mouse game in which you constantly have to manage not just the ever changing wind, but your opponents as well. Have a ship in your sights, but the cannons are still being reloaded? Better brace for impact. [November 2012, p.50]

If the big blockbusters like Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty seem a bit lacklustre to you on the Vita (and you would be right), there is still Sine Mora. Sure, this shoot-'em-up might be a bit short, but boasts excellent gameplay and a surprisingly riveting story. [January 2013, p.95]

Some games stay etched in your memory because of the emotional journey you experienced, like The Walking Dead, The Last of Us or Ico. Brother: A Tale of Two Sons does not quite belong on that list, but it does come very close. [October 2013 p.94]

The game's appearance remains unaltered, which sounds good, but unfortunately it isn't. The game doesn't look bad, but it certainly looks dated. From a cinematic standpoint everything's fine, but the numerous lip-sync errors bothered us immensely. [February 2013, p.80]

The characters support a little less detail, but when the body parts start flying you'll hardly have time to notice. The game runs smoothly at sixty frames per second and everyone who has already spilled gallons of blood on the PS3 will feel right at home. [June 2012, p.98]

Ninja Theory deserves credit for not only delivering smooth combat and telling an entertaining story, but also for crafting detailed character models without lip-synch errors, who show real emotion and wear clothing that moves along with them. This is what a 2013-game should look like. [February 2013, p.72]

Trine 2 still is a very beautiful game with some very entertaining gameplay even though there aren't any significant improvements over the original. The newly added online co-op sort of ruins the game as puzzles become very easy to solve when playing with one or two friends. [February 2012, p.102]

Street Fighter X Tekken is much more than just a fun party game. Even better, based on the number of unique mechanics, we would say this is Capcom's best fighter in a long time. Whereas Street Fighter IV and MvC 3 only had one unique feature, SFXT has dozens. [April 2012, p.74]

Some games are brilliant because of their simplicity. Take Sound Shapes for example, a game in which you roll a ball through colourful, minimalistic environments that vary from grey office buildings to beautiful sceneries of nature. [October 2012, p.78]

Switching between different dimensions does more than changing up the visuals. You can be attacked by enemies from both worlds, meaning you will have to constantly (and sometimes frantically) switch between dimensions to survive. [May 2013, p.94]

Need for Speed: Most Wanted is everything but a simulation racer, but it still feels a lot less arcadey than Ridge Racer or the classic Burnout games. It makes takedowns a bit more risky, since you risk losing control over your car, but also more satisfying. [November 2012, p.86]

During the very well written conversation we're often subtly reminded of the choices we made in the past. During the action scenes, the gameplay is simple, but effective. No half circles need to be made with the analog stick, it's all about mashing the X-button. [June 2012, p.100]

In terms of gameplay you can still expect the same simple running around, talking to people and mashing buttons when you get attacked by a zombie. Story-wise however, this episode does what it needs to do. [September 2012, p.86]

Old hats like us don't need convenient tips & tricks when faced with a seemingly unbeatable boss. Figuring out how to beat one of these gigantic culprits is half the fun and luckily Vigil Games understands this. [September p.66]

Explaining what makes this great is no easy matter. There simply hasn't been a game like this in our region before. Even though these games are immensely popular in Japan. The genre is called visual novel, or an interactive book if you will. [December 2012, p.84]

Once the game gets going, the recipe seems to have remained unaltered. There is no one who moves through the shadows and hugs the walls like Sam Fisher. But the levels in Blacklist are more varied than the empty office spaces and busy army bases you have come to expect from the franchise. [September p.54]

Build Your AI is an ever so important feature for any couch strategist wanting to lead his favourite team to the Stanley Cup. You can adjust your team's approach line by line. If you have a couple of fast wingers, it might be a good idea to dump the puck from the back. [October 2012, p.76]

In this DLC, a certain Mr. Torgue hosts an explosive tournament, trying to find Pandora's biggest bad-ass. Sounds like an excuse for a boring chain of arena battles, but thanks some cool quests and a terrific sense of humour, this is not the case. [January 2013, p.94]

Not changing a damn thing about your initial game formula in over seven year means you are either an extremely lazy designer or that the formula is so genius it doesn't need to be changed. Luckily designer Mizuguchi is anything but lazy and Lumines is still a winner. [March 2012, p.58]

It's clear that Insomniac was light years ahead of its peers. The combination of jumping, strafing and shooting incredibly fun guns is as addictive as ever. The graphics have also been beautifully upgraded. It's one of the best looking HD collections we've seen so far. [July 2012, p.78]

The freedom that Gravity Rush offers is simply unrivalled. Only titles like Infamous or Prototype can offer a bit of competition and even those don't allow you to rush from one end of the city to the other in just a matter of seconds. [June 2012, p.76]

The reason why we go into so much detail about the fighting system is because we've never seen such deep and expansive mechanics in an open world game. You will fight until your knuckles are covered in blood and still won't have had enough of it. [September 2012, p.72]

When the AI fails, the world loses its credibility and that's a shame. Because this is a world so beautiful you'll want to believe in it. Thanks to the Glacier 2 engine, you'll be drooling all over your controller when you're standing in the middle of a gorgeous desert plain. [December 2012, p.48]

No matter how much you oppose Call of Duty and its publisher (or even the FPS genre), you can't deny the powerhouse that Black Ops II is. Three humongous modes, each complementing the others perfectly. That's right: three whole modes.[December 2012, p.56]

Spelunky is finally available on PlayStation platforms and there is plenty of reason to be happy about that. This hard as nails platformer will have you clutching your controller in a choke hold due to random levels and a healthy dose of trial and error. [October 2013 p.94]

The D-pad on the Vita is ideal to play this kind of game. And that's a good thing too, because we're not too fond of the touch controls. You can program certain button combinations on the rear touchpad, but it's so sensitive that you'll constantly be executing the wrong moves during a match. [April 2012, p.95]

People who fear that half of the missions will be things like 'pick this guy up', 'deliver that package', needn't worry. Ninety percent of the story consists of missions full of tension and over-the-top action. There is hardly any filler. [December 2011, p.46]

Super Stardust Delta is one of the few Vita games that allows you to customize the controls to your liking. As a matter of fact it is the very first Vita-game ever to do that. Ideally for those among us who have been cursed not with clumsy hands, clawing away at the touch screen. [March 2012, p.60]

It takes some time getting used to the LEGO-aesthetic, but the use of the original music and voices even succeeded in giving us goosebumps when the LEGO-version of Gandalf cried out to the rest of the Fellowship to "Fly, you fools!". [January 2013, p.80]

Not that we have ever experienced it ourselves, but everything you get to see in the PS3 exclusive Dyad has to be similar to how the world looks when you are under the influence of certain "enlightening" chemicals. [September 2012, p.86]

Should things get a bit stale, there are activities during the World Tours which luckily aren't just about racing. There's Pursuit, where you have to chase a tank while dodging the bombs it's dropping or Traffic Attack, where you have to dodge traffic on an increasingly busier road [December 2012, p.82]

What is there left to tell about The Walking Dead, our personal best game of 2012. Those who only own a Vita owe it to themselves to play this thrilling interactive zombie adventure. [October 2013 p.94]

When it comes to graphics, Skullgirls is more than a match for its competitors. Still it lacks that finishing touch. We couldn't find a move list and even though twenty years ago we enjoyed discovering each character's move set, now we just want to jump right into the action. [May 2012, p.90]

Tekken Tag 2 is just as much a party game as it is a competitive beat'em up, judging by the dozens of crazy customizations for each character. Everything from butterfly wings to waist doughnuts and an alien to put on top of your head. [September 2012, p.104]

The original is five years old, which you will probably notice because of the awful sound effects, but it is still one of the most in-depth fighting games of its generation. And Final Showdown is by far the best version, including the possibility to play online against other players. [July 2012, p.92]

After what seems ages, PS3 gamers can now finally get their hands on some downloadable content for Skyrim. And even if you missed Bethesda's sweet half priced deal, Dragonborn is still worth the purchase. [March 2013, p.88]

In FIFA you can just as well give up when you're two goals behind. 0-2 means nothing in PES. In the majority of the games we played, Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 offered more spectacle than FIFA 13. Which could be a big advantage for PES. [October 2012, p.70]

Grid 2 comes close to perfection, but since nothing or nobody is perfect, we would like to point out a few tiny, little flaws. We miss the cockpit view dearly and the game could have benefited greatly from a dynamic weather system and longer races. [June 2013, p.80]

We had to wait nearly seven years for this former Xbox-exclusive to return and even after all this time the strange mix between third person platforming and first person shooting still works fine. You'd have to be crazy not to download this title after such a long wait. [February 2012, p.100]

In case you still do not get it, Blood Dragon is a roller-coaster ride through a magical land filled with high-explosives and anything (and we mean literally anything) that even remotely refers to the action packed, but campy eighties. [May 2013, p.93]

Good news for the pyromaniacs: this On Fire Edition of NBA Jam is a lot better than the Wii-port that was released a while back. This remake offers great value and is a great tribute to the 16 bit-classic. [Nov 2011, p.98]

SSX may not be the same party game it used to be, but that doesn't mean it isn't fun. The first time you jump out of a helicopter, you feel butterflies in your stomach, like only SSX can give you. It feels a bit like coming home. [March 2012, p.72]

You run, sneak and drive around an island that is so beautiful that you would gladly trade in your weapons for swimming trunks and have the rest of the day off for some sunbathing. [Nov 2011, p.98]

The biggest disappointment is the absence of Peace Walker, the only handheld game from the PS3 HD Collection. "Because you can download the original PSP version from the PS Store and the Vita upscales the game pretty well, we could reduce our production costs tremendously", Konami explains. [July 2012, p.90]

Instead of playing it safe after successfully replacing Crash Bandicoot with Jak and Daxter in The Precursor Legacy (and creating another fun, colorful platformer) Naughty Dog decided to throw everything overboard with Jak II and III. Even today we're still amazed by the radical changes. [April 2012, p.88]

All this digging can be frustrating until you have mastered the right technique. Once you do, you will be hooked for a long time. Exploring a surprisingly large system of caverns underneath the surface of this colourful world, searching for that precious gold nugget. [June 2013, p.94]

The rush you feel when striking down an opponent with a perfectly timed swing from your mighty sword remains one of the best and unique experiences in the entire beat 'm up-genre. SoulCalibur still can't compete with the likes of Capcom's fighting games, but it's getting close. [February 2012, p.90]

Even though 'saving the world' is like really important and good fun, you probably won't have time to actually save it. Reckoning's plains and villages are filled to the brink with humans, gnomes who all need your help. They are just side quests, but also the most fun we have had in Reckoning. [March 2012, p.92]

There is not a lot of leveling or depth to be found in Rage, but you can have some fun with building your own weapons and toying around with several gadgets. We particularly liked the remote controlled cars that can be equipped with explosives. [Nov 2011, p.82]

F1 2012 is a beast. The feeling you get when you're racing neck to neck against twenty other great drivers, in what you could describe as a rocket on wheels, is simply amazing. Every take over, every crash sends the adrenaline flying through your veins. [October 2012, p.72]

This is a bargain if you look at what you get. This shooter is long, challenging and has a great sense of humor thanks to cutscenes that remind us of Ratchet & Clank. Mega Man was also an inspiration: you get to use the weapons of every end boss you defeat. [January 2012, p.85]

Dungeon Defenders consists of two phases. First you strategically arrange your defenses, then you use the abilities of your characters to repel every goblin coming your way. Playing Dungeon Defenders in co-op is a must, since you can combine the powers of certain characters. [February 2012, p.101]

Do you scour the internet daily for new combos or strategies to use in Marvel vs. Capcom 3, then you should buy this update blindly. There is no doubt about it: this ultimate edition of Capcom's beat 'm up is in every way superior to its predecessor. [December 2011, p.72]

The old Ezio has a few new tricks up his sleeves: he plays around with a wide array of explosives and makes use of a brand new gadget, the Hookblade, to travel around town much more quickly. The only downside to all of this is that it doesn't add much to the gameplay. [December 2011, p.58]

Certain gimmicks however do show some creativity. At one point you're required to hold the Vita up toward the sun to reveal a hidden text on a piece of parchment. It goes to show that the Vita does have the potential for some crazy puzzles. [March 2012, p.46]

Even though Metro: Last Light successfully convinces you that you are actually wandering around in a post-apocalyptic Moscow, a number of technical issues do break the carefully constructed illusion from time to time. [June 2013, p.66]

In this top-down twin-stick shooter everything, from tanks to trains, has to be destroyed. And you know what? As simple as that may sound, it is a lot of fun. [Nov 2011, p.96]

Ascension shows a warrior who is miles away from being the ultimate and flawless killing machine we all know and love. He is more like an unguided projectile here, trying to cope with all the injustice delivered unto him. [April 2013, p.62]

Unfortunately Darkstalkers is not a new game, it is a collection of the second and third game in the franchise, previously released on the PSone during the mid 90s. Officially it is an HD-collection, but it is the multiplayer that adds the real value to this re-release. [April 2013, p.91]

On paper it seems like a simple, by the numbers platformer and it is to a certain degree. But Puppeteer is much more than that. It is an interactive stage play that constantly breaks the fourth wall. [October 2013 p. 86]