Not necessarily a great strategy game on its own, but still a charming budget title that treats its license with respect and delivers some of the best Starship Troopers action we've seen in any video game so far.

While the racing is improved, the game lacks content in every way. A boring presentation, required grinding for tracks and cosmetics as well as technical issues such as unstable fps and a soundtrack with dropouts heavily damage the fun racing.

The repetitive game design was partly on my laces, but I could have closed my eyes and pulled out a 7. However, the technical quirks are too pronounced for this and annoy a few short gaming sessions. If you like the Sharknado parts or other shark Schlockbuster, you do not have to delete Maneater from your wish list, but you should be able to overlook some shortcomings and definitely wait for a few patches.

A mostly uninspired action-adventure, but very enjoyable nonetheless. Combat and exploration deliver good, old-school fun and the levels are brimming with secrets. However, the story turns out rather shallow and most of the collectables and upgrades are not nearly as motivating as in the first Darksiders game. But if you are a fan of the series and keep your expectations in check, by all means, go for it.

While not as fast or manageable as the original PC release, Endzone still is one of the better city building games on Xbox. The addition of the first DLC is a welcome one, even though the price tag of 50 bucks seems a little steep.

Give yourself and the game some time. Learn how to play, study the maps and objectives, look for competent friends to play with and Brink will open up to a great game with tight matches, non stop action and a ton of fun. Unfortunately there´s a handful of issues that Splash Damage needs to patch quickly, such as a poor server browser, sound bugs, lags and the poor fact that you can´t switch characters and body types in game.

With its fantastic but simple gameplay, Minecraft Dungeons is not only for fans of the Minecraft universe. The design of the world and the adventurers is great and the multiplayer is fun. Sadly, the story is too flat and the game is too short to satisfy completely.

Norse: Oath of Blood deserves praise for its nice presentation and solid turn based tactics. The linear campaign, its uninspired building mechanics and a plethora of technical issues however really drag it down. Clearly a game that needed more time in the oven.

A solid remaster of a good game. The ridiculous but funny story and the huge content thanks to all the included DLCs are now shining in a much better graphic. However, the remaster did not wipe out the negative points. The missions are still repetitive, the AI is stupid as hell and the world feels a bit empty, if you leave the path of missions.

World War Z is a decent Koop-Survival-Shooter, which compensates for its lack of innovation with a lack of major flaws.

The bottom line is that that's too much gambling for me to motivate me permanently, even if the fights themselves are implemented quite nicely.

Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered is a game for those who are nostalgic and who are not put off by the peculiarities of these old games. It is unlikely to win over any new fans with it’s clunky controls and outdated game design. The problem this time around is that the originals, at least 5 and 6, weren't great games to begin with. The flaws that caused the mixed to poor ratings at the time are, of course, still present in these remastered versions.

In the second DLC you can expect unusually challenging fights and a lot of activity, but also a weak plot and the usual technical problems.

If you like killing enemies with a katana like Kill Bill, this indie-action-platformer could be your game. The design is quite near to the also platform-title Gunpoint and it combines it with stealth- and assassination-elements like in Mark of the Ninja. The combat is quite difficult, sometimes frustrating, especially because of its try-and-error passages, that can freak you out. The Soundtrack is great and the cartoon-graphics-style fits well to the setting. UI is simple to learn and timing your actions is the key for success in the game.

Excellent product values meet nearly perfectly captured Halo aesthetics; unfortunately, the touchscreen controls are more about trying to tame your spartans and especially their vehicles than actually directing them.

I’m a big fan of air-combat-classics like Strike Commander, Falcon and IL2-Sturmovik, so I really looked forward to HAWX. Sure, I’ve had my doubts. Can this genre revive itself, though hitting the stores for consoles with quite simple controls at the same time? Ubisoft delivers the answer: no problem! Sure, HAWX is everything else but a simulation, but this game never wanted to be one. HAWX comes with accessible, perfectly staged non-stop-action and a broad selection of air combat situations like bombing runs, dogfights, escorts and more. If the multiplayer-mode can keep up with the solo-experience: fasten seatbelts and stop smoking!

With Beyond a Steel Sky, Revolution Software, the team around Charles Cecil and comic book legend Dave Gibbons, has successfully transported the fascination of classic adventure games into modern days. Clever ideas, charming characters and witty dialogues make the sequel to „Beneath a Steel Sky“, which was released 26 years earlier, a must-play for every adventure fan. Hopefully we don’t need to wait that long for our next visit to Union City. It would be a shame.

A lighthearted and colorful strategy game that is determined to replicate the formula of Dungeon Keeper while adding some fresh ideas of its own. However, this led to some awkward design decisions, uneven pacing and an unreliable interface. Alas, it is not as good as it could have been - but at least it's a much better game than the first Dungeons released in 2011.

Garden Story has a great soundtrack and the artstyle is adorable. Well, and that’s all the positives we can think about. Repetitive tasks and very flawed game design make Garden Story a chore to play most of the time.

Superior to its predecessor in every way. Amazing cutscenes, a fun (yet very short) campaign, lots of fan service and decent multiplayer come together in a robust RTS package. Due to its lack of depth and content, it probably won't win the hearts of many C&C or Starcraft 2 veterans, but at the same time it presents a great entry point for newcomers to the genre.

Surreal, grotesque and hauntingly beautiful. Scorn does not offer much in terms of story or depth, but the atmosphere and art direction are off the charts. It's a short, sometimes confusing experience and if you are looking for a shooter, by all means, look somewhere else. But if you keep your expectations in check (and have a taste for some seriously twisted stuff), you are in for a ride that will stay with you long after the credits rolled.

The new adventure editor is smart and flexible. The space phase get's a little more interesting, thanks to some of the new mini missions. And the creature editor remains to be one outstanding piece of software. But the rest of the actual game? It's as boring and shallow as it ever was.

Code Vein has unfortunately shown little to no improvement. Despite the time travel element, the game hasn't kept up with the times; its systems are outdated or poorly implemented. The game world is incredibly empty, and even a cool steampunk motorcycle can't save it. The RPG aspects work well, until the boss fights become far too over-the-top. Technically, the game is a complete disaster. I would rather play Dark Souls 1 or even the first Code Vein again than ever play Code Vein 2 again.

The return of Garrett on PC is great for gamers who love to climb, sneak and steal through a dark steampunk setting, opening hundreds of drawers, cupboards, chests and more to find loot. The narrative aspect of the game is entertaining and particularly the movement of Garrett offers a deep in-game feeling. Some design-issues won’t please thief-veterans, especially the action-drive scenes. There’s also a lack of orientation in the nested level design of the city. But equipped with cool gear and tons of game-options you’ll definitely find your individual thief-experience.

New World does a lot of things right. Combat and crafting work very well. The world looks stunning and the game has one of the best sound designs in the history of video games. However, be sure you know what you sign up for. If you are looking for a quest-based and story-driven MMO like WoW, then New World will not make you happy. But if you enjoy exploration and PvP in a MMO, then this game is for you.

I am a huge fan of Kingdoms of Amalur. That's why it hurts my soul somewhere to have to write negative about this game in this test.

Oh, Sniper Elite, what are you doing to me? I would love to like you a lot more, but so much more is possible!

Albeit exceedingly tense in some places, Game of Thrones marks Telltale’s weakest interactive series yet since The Walking Dead. Characters are bland, plot holes abound, the writing is inconsistent and the ending just a setup for next season. There are some things to like for fans of the TV show, but not enough to recommend Game of Thrones over Telltale’s other success titles.

Tactical combat, RPG-gameplay and a huge universe to explore are key elements of LGMs space-game. Graphics, music and sound effects are good, but the voice-acting is awful. Side-missions are repetitive and the campaign is suffering on a weak story. Bugs and balancing-problems still have to be patched. The Freeroam mode is the best part of the game and the mod-community offers nice content.

Beautiful hand-drawn visuals, two adorable main characters and a fabulous story that manages to find the right balance between melancholy and humor make for one of the best traditional adventure games in years.

The Cub would have needed a lot more meat on its bones to leave a lasting impression. There is barely any time to immerse yourself in the game world or characters and gameplay remains rudimentary.

Sudden Strike 4 has become a solid RTS, which seems to shine with tactical depth for quite a while.

Without its open world and many beloved features from its predecessor, Sims 4 loses some of the series’ charm. Fortunately, the concept of Sims works so well that none of this dulls the fun in a significant way. The new emotion system is a little superficial, however, and could use work in the future.

The humorous and entertaining gameplay suffers from long idle phases and a lousy port job. Better wait for the PC version of GTA 4!

Silt is an atmospheric and surreal experience with an outstanding artstyle and a lot of well balanced, creative puzzles. Unfortunately the controls are quite imprecise, so that some parts later in the game are a bit annoying. Silt is not a masterpiece like Limbo, but definitely an amazing experience.

Quotation forthcoming.

As Far As The Eye doesn’t only look nice, it also plays quite well. And it is hard! It demands a lot from the player und to get better, on really has to learn the ins and outs of the game. Too often, however, success comes down to luck, whch is a shame and makes some moments frustrating.

If something stupid and wacky is what your’e looking for, Surgeon Simulator 2 is your game! Don’t expect any real simulation gameplay, also don’t expect working controls, long-term motivation or complexity, and you’ll have a lot of fun.

Quotation forthcoming.

Halfway is a simple but good turn-based strategy game, taking place a few hundred years into the future on a huge spaceship. The story with some similarities to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey makes the game really interesting and the turn-based combat-system is quite challenging. The biggest flaw of the game is that there is no possibility to save the game during a mission.

Quotation forthcoming.

While the story and graphics were convincing, the gameplay, boss design and enemy variety were not. Enotria isn't really bad, but it's not really good either, and is therefore somewhere in the middle of the crowded Souls genre.

The debut of the Blazkowicz sisters does not provide the fully-fledged Wolfenstein experience. Nonetheless it is an action packed, entertaining coop shooter which is definitely worth its 30 Dollar price tag.

Like its predecessor, Deliver us Mars lives from its great atmosphere, but this time it also complements it with a well-staged narrative. The clearly more personal story, in which a family's discord is also symbolic for humanity's fight for survival and their different views on the future, fascinates from the first minute on. It doesn't even bother that it doesn't rumble and bang at every corner.

A cool atmosphere and a great combat system meet an interesting lore story and challenging boss fights. Unfortunately, there are some negative points. Not only was the gameplay a bit monotonous, but the controls were to notchy. In addition we not only had to fight witches and undead, but also many bugs.

Strong characters, thrilling story, but I expected more from the final episode. […] It’s obvious that your previous decisions have no real effect and especially the most emotional storyline lacks a satisfying conclusion.

Even if the outdated substructure has its limits, it must still be possible to make the game less cumbersome, imprecise and uneven.

The Definitive Edition captures the romanticized memory that we had of this 20 year old classic and puts it in a modern game. The reworked graphics are marvelous and despite some badly aged mechanics like the path finding it is still fun to build your own ancient empire.

Spongebob Squarepants Rehydrated is a rock-solid 3D platformer for fans of the popular TV series, who will love to explore Bikini Bottom by themselves. If you do not like the source material and prefer your Jump'n'Runs to be a bit more challenging, you are better off passing on this one.

Panzer Tactics HD is a good turn-based strategy game with over sixty hours of campaign to play. But if you have to choose, Panzer Corps is the better game.

This coop-shooter is neither really good nor really bad. It borrows different elements out from other games, but ultimately fails to combine them in a way, the majority would like. It’s still worth a look, since some people will like the mixture.

Still a pretty decent Warhammer massacre, but as a remaster it's simply not worth 40 euros.

Wildlands is a great mix-up of some of the best elements of Ubisoft's most prominent IPs, but struggles to find its own identity. Military-minded co-op fans will definitely want to check this out, while solo players can also expect up to 50 hours of open-world fun.

One of those rare games that can feel underwhelming and fun at the same time. There is a lot of good stuff in Outcast 2, like the incredible music, cool jetpack mechanics and a main character that we have really missed over the years. But Appeal bites off more than they can chew here: The world is vast and beautiful, but offers very little aside from monotonous side activities. There are no roleplaying elements to speak of, the enemies are boring and on top of that, the combat feels shallow and stuck in the past. The story however really has its moments, the villages are incredibly charming and there are plenty of fun conversations to be had. Is it a great game? Sadly, no. But we enjoyed it nonetheless.

SEGA succeeds in reviving one of the great classic platformers: Castle of Illusion features smooth controls, affectionate graphics and intriguing boss designs. Mickey’s new adventures are way too short, though, and lack ambitious level composition. The original was a challenge and a hard nut to crack, the reworks is a mere casual game.

Despite the muddy graphics, an extremely ambitious port! But the weak performance prevents the medieval experience from unfolding properly. We would have preferred to see the game on the Switch 2!

EA studio Blackbox fails to combine a fast paced racing experience, Battlefield 3 graphics with a good entertaining and satisfying story in Need for Speed: The Run. While the action is fun and the different settings look very good, the Frostbite Engine 2.0 could have been used slightly better on PC and the story could actually be a story: not just an excuse to send some uninteresting dude from A to B.

The gameplay shows its age and the updated visuals are not nearly worth the performance cost. If you already own the original, you can give this one a pass.

RIDE 6 isn’t a bad game, but it also wastes a fair amount of its potential. The career mode in particular feels weaker compared to its predecessor.

It's missing a gripping story.

The Callisto Protocol convinced from the beginning with a great atmosphere, an interesting story and beautiful graphics. Also the gameplay is really satisfying throughout the game. Some technical issues impede the high score, but it’s still a contender for Game of the Year.

Jurassic World Evolution is not the best or most complex management sim on the planet, but that's okay, it’s still demanding enough to be very entertaining. The focal point of the game are the dinosaurs anyway, and they look amazing.

Have you ever felt cold when playing a game? In Cryostasis you’ll be confronted with deadly cold, while you are exploring a long missing icebreaker-ship in the Arctic. This unusual shooter uses an innovative temperature-health-system and the horror-scripts are well done.

Risen 2 transcends its shortcomings by boasting a wonderful living and breathing world and a refreshing new setting, masterfully crafted and executed. Although the combat is way too easy and the ending comes much too suddenly, Risen 2 is a great role-playing experience for any fan of open world games.

Well, that’s a disappointment: After The Escapists 1+2, we were looking forward to the next game set in the same universe. The Survivalists, however, can’t hold a candle to its predecessors. The gameplay is broken in more ways than we can count, there are plenty of design flaws which makes you wonder how anybody couldn’t have seen how irritating they are and nevertheless, the game is way too short and way too easy. Such a pity.

A good turn-based strategy game with interesting ideas that falls short of its potential. More polish and time would have helped. Still worth a look for Civ fans.

It's okay for casual players, but if your are familiar with the genre, you will find Chaosbane to be a mediocre, extremely repetitive experience that does not even come close to what Grim Dawn, Path of Exile or Diablo 3 have to offer.

Capcom did a great job with the conversion of the console hit, especially when it comes down to the very complex controls. Beginners may find themselves frustrated and overwhelmed by the possibilities, but once you learn how to handle your character, the game unfolds its whole fascination.

While there's undoubtedly some co-op fun, the charm of the original series is lost. With few new ideas in enemy design and puzzles that are far too easy, this installment feels more like a poor copy.

Order of War is a mere copycat game. It feels, looks and plays like World in Conflict – only with dulled out WW2 missions and a lack of strategic depth. Not a bad RTS, but a popcorn RTS.

Even connoisseurs of the first two parts will be a bit sober after taking off their pink glasses. The story is by far not as good as it seemed back then and the gameplay is completely outdated. The fact that Shenmue 3 doesn't come to a conclusion is unforgivable after the long waiting time and the (financial) support of the fans. Players who approach the title without a nostalgia bonus will be annoyed anyway. The grind is pretty hard, the wandering around and the bad dialogues are even harder, but the fact that the game keeps stopping you on purpose is just incredibly frustrating. Hardcore fans can add something to the rating, everyone else can even pull something off.

A classical build up strategy game in tradition of The Settlers- and Cultures-Series from Funatics. You’ll have to conquer procedural-made islands, leading you Vikings to a portal, that leads to Valhalla. The tiny look of the toon-like characters and their animations are charming, as well as watching your folk building houses, farms and stuff. Unfortunately the transport of goods is unnecessary complicated and the AI is just acting automatically. There is no way to give precise orders, same as for the military-part of the game.

In the end, Disciples: Domination stands in its own way and gives the impression that, although it has taken a step forward in some areas, this is offset by setbacks in others. That doesn't make it a bad game, but it's not enough to make it stand out in any way. It can't compete with a genre giant like Heroes of Might and Magic, especially in terms of complexity. However, those who enjoyed playing its predecessor will get their money's worth here as well. The developers could have dared to take it a little further, though.

After the last representative of multiplayer shooting in the Aliens franchise seemed more like a cheap shooting gallery attraction, Aliens: Fireteam Elite gives hope for a fun sci-fi shooter with your friends against hordes of slimy aliens. The sound effects are authentic - especially the recognizable weapons. It offers non-stop action and plenty of material to improve and find. Nevertheless an aha experience sets in for me at some point. I had a lot of fun while testing, but like sexual intercourse, it is unfortunately mostly boring if you do it with yourself. And because I have to play the same missions over and over again, i got bored soon. Nevertheless 40 bucks are still an acceptable price for a few hours of co-op fun in the Aliens universe.

Despite the outrageous elimination of an online-mode while some features are only available online and some minor bugs, the game enthuses players through depth and new features. A strong editor and a tremendous long-term-motivation make Fifa Manager 13 a great example of its genre.

Short and sweet with precise controls and imaginative landscapes, Glare is a charming little indie platformer well worth its low asking price.

But for 15 hours I still had a lot of fun with State of Decay 2.

Octodad oozes charm like a leaky squid. While it’s disappointingly light on content and complexity, the game is sure to light up a room with its humor and whacky control scheme, especially in co-op mode.

I think that the impression of the game would have been better if the message of the story had been defined a little more clearly. Nevertheless, the style of the game exerted a certain charm on me and I think that other players can do the same.

The American football simulation still has technical problems - some old ones that have been known for years (e.g. broken PS5 trophies), but some completely new ones. That's a terrible shame, because otherwise the makers have actually taken a step forward. Franchise mode has finally gotten some love. The gameplay didn't start a revolution, but the skill-based passes introduced an interesting innovation on the offensive. In terms of gameplay, Madden NFL 23 is arguably the best in a long time. However, the many bugs stand in the way of a higher rating.

The combat-system is working nicely and intuitively. Creating thousands of spells is quite fun – for a while. The levels often seem to be just never ending corridors, filled with hundreds of the same type of monsters. Boss-fights are challenging but can be very frustrating as well because of the complex mechanics the game uses for damage and control.

While certainly lacking variety and neat ideas to compete with the likes of Rayman and Mario, Sega's new character Tembo more than holds its own.

A well-executed overall concept á la Black Mirror and Altered Carbon.

Improved graphics and useful changes make FIFA Manager 09 the best football management simulation one can get. Whoever refrained from upgrading to the newest installment of the series in the last few years, should surely do so now.

Deliver at all Costs is a fun little game that is quite respectable, considering that it started out as a school project by a group of students. The wild and chaotic crashing through the destructible game world is simply a lot of fun. Unfortunately, some of the features have not been thought through to the end and do not fulfill their potential. What I enjoyed most while playing was the positive surprise regarding the story. I wasn't expecting a plot with mystery and supernatural elements in this game.

Once you've gotten into it, a surprising depth of play reveals itself.

Although enjoyable and graphically superb, Cities XL is a derivative, bug-flawed, expensive construction site of a game.

New Tales from the Borderlands is a coherent adventure game that manages to convey the wit and charm of the Borderlands universe. Also because the game doesn't take itself, its universe and video games in general too seriously. As gamers, we quickly warmed up to the excellently written protagonists and rooted for them as they tried to master the imponderables of their adventure. However, the developers could have done a bit more with gameplay and scope.

Rarely have I been so torn when evaluating a game. Pleasure and frustration are very close together here.

Call of Duty: Ghosts is exactly the game its fans wanted and its critics feared. As always, the multiplayer is perfectly balanced, the campaign nicely presented and the new features promise a lot of fun and motivation. On the other hand you get a short, lowbrow story and an engine that looks good, but not necessarily next-gen, even on PS4.

The Signifier could have been some much more than it turned out to be. It does a lot of stuff right, though, especially regarding the design of the stages. It creates a believable, atmospheric world and the story, alltough not too creative, is intense. If it wasn’t for the ending and the boring gameplay, The Signifier could have been a classic.

Solid combat mechanics get bogged down by lackluster story, poor A.I. and an overbearing reliance on luck, that destroys any sort of achievement. It's not tactics that decide who wins, but the roll of the dice.

By combining elements of puzzle-games with those of walking simulators, The Spectrum Retreat creates a coherent whole.

Quotation forthcoming.

The Gunk is a wonderful game about good friends Rani and Beck. They have a small scavening business and harvest resources in order to sell them. The fascinating story begins as soon as you land on a planet full of disgusting gunk. Once you cleared it up you can see the fantastic and colorful world that is hidden underneath the slime. Soon they even found signs of an ancient civilization. They realized that they have to discover the secret of the colorful planet in order to remove the gunk and save the former inhabitants from the threat.

The frustration level rises more and more over the course of the game, but: If Seven ironed out some mistakes, the game would definitely have a certain appeal and a lot to discover.

Good-looking action, tight controls and an abundance of upgrades make for a robust, enjoyable 2D roguelike experience. Sadly, due to its repetitive level segments, slow progression and lack of surprises the game does not reach its true potential.

Despite a heavy nostalgic bonus, the snazzy façade does not quite comfort you over the outdated core. [..] In terms of graphics Second Contact appears like a full-featured Remake but in fact it's a remaster.