One and a half years after its initial release for last-gen consoles, you’ve probably heard it before: GTA 5 is one of the best games currently out there. So go ahead and buy it already. Rockstar even did a mighty fine job with the PC port.

The developers at Larian Studios have created something very special with Baldur's Gate 3. And even if developers of large studios fight tooth and nail against it: This role-playing game sets new standards, and future RPGs will have to be measured against it. It is a video game in its purest form that holds a mirror up to the industry. It shows us how video games used to be and how they should be, something the industry has forgotten far too often. It is a work of art, born from the passion and love of a studio that has not been corrupted by the industry's rampant greed. You can tell in every fiber of Baldur's Gate 3 that it wasn't created to generate maximum revenue. Instead, it is a product of the love for video games that characterizes Creative Director Swen Vincke and his team.

Baldur's Gate 3 is also on the PS5 the masterpiece that all role-playing game fans have been hoping for and so much more. The gameplay freedom, the great characters, the top-notch narrative, the satisfying combat system are unparalleled and blend in perfect harmony to create a true work of art.

Outstanding, outrageously big action-adventure that builds on the strengths of its predecessor and puts playful freedom above everything else. It offers a good mix of the familiar and the fresh and just barely misses the perfect rating.

Mindbending puzzles, a ton of humor topped with a good story and an outstanding coop mode, Portal 2 is the game you have to play. You will laugh, you will think till your brain hurts and you will cheer considering the love and cleverness that Valve put into this diamond of a game. From sound to innovation to comedy to gameplay the game is simply perfect. Play and enjoy.

Astro Bot has accessible gameplay, superb Dualsense implementation, rock-solid tech and so much charm that you can’t help but smile along. It doesn’t want to revolutionize the platformer genre, it just wants you to be happy. And that is a mission it succeeds at with flying colors.

As expected: an open-world epic with a huge scope and a great atmosphere.

Top sequel that surpasses its predecessor in (almost) every respect.

Even after 21 years Metroid Prime is in a class of its own. The gameplay has aged remarkably well and the new dual-stick controls work like a charm. Visually this is one of the best remaster treatments we have seen so far: Everything looks like we remembered it, but with so much more detail added that you might mistake it for a fully-fledged remake. Although lacking new content or added features, this game is still an easy choice for every Switch owner: If you buy only one Metroid game in your lifetime, let it be this one.

A brilliant mix of shooter and role-playing, filled with great characters, excellent design, lots of action and clever dialogue. It's a shame though that Bioware did not improve the inventory and skill system of the first game, but actually reduced it even more. I really wished there were more customization options, more ways to develop and gear up my characters. But all these are merely small points of criticism, since there is so much to feel and experience in this game. Mass Effect 2 is a thrilling, emotional ride and ultimately every bit as good as its predecessor.

It's essentially a Persona game set in a fantasy universe and one of the best games this year has to offer.

The story has stirred me speechless and compelled me to think.

Elden Ring absolutely manages to deliver on what was promised, and is, despite some minor annoyances, one of the finest gaming experiences I’ve had in years. That’s not only due to the rock-solid gameplay foundation, with its flexible class system, versatile weapons and progression mechanics. It’s also not only because of the morbid, dense atmosphere and the mysterious, captivating setting. It isn’t even solely the open world, which makes me want to spend every spare second exploring it with its gorgeous, monumental vistas and densely packed locations. Instead, the masterful combination of all these great qualities is what really makes Elden Ring special. Yes, the game has stopped me in my tracks multiple times, forcing me to leave bosses and places for later due to the somewhat slower progression system. But every time it does, it offers up dozens of other locations to test my mettle, become stronger and more skilled. And this cycle of trial and triumph is so immensely engaging that it’s going to keep me entertained for months to come.

God of War: Ragnarok is simply fantastic. The story is excellently told, the characters outstandingly written, and the many gameplay innovations so well thought out and fun that the entire game is just a joy to play. From the first hour to the last, I found myself emotionally rooting along and worrying about the fate of the characters. The twists and turns in the story and all the sometimes really ingenious ideas captivated me time and time again.

Nothing short of a masterpiece. With its deep storyline, smartly written quests, a stunning world to explore and more than 100 hours of roleplaying goodness, The Witcher 3 is in a class of its own.

Half-Life: Alyx isn’t as good as it could be, mostly because of some sequences that drag on for too long, the multi-tool which just isn’t fun to use and some uninspired design choices. Nevertheless, Valve has created a very good VR-shooter and a worthy entry in the Half-Life-series. Just don’t expect it to blow you away the way Half-Life 2 did back in 2004.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a game for connoisseurs and patient people. The great and atmospheric world is worth exploring. I spent almost 100 hours in Rivellon, but the game would have had a lot of potential for a twice as long stay.

With a great story, memorable characters and outstanding cutscenes the single player campaign easily overcomes most of its very few shortcomings. And the multiplayer mode is exactly what we've come to expect from Blizzard: it is fast, unforgiving and a hell of a lot of fun.

God of War on PC is even better than before: Great graphics, a rich narrative and fantastic combat make it an experience you cannot miss.

A thoroughly engrossing action game that will keep you coming back for dozens upon dozens of hours. Each run is brimming with satisfying combat, new and interesting story bits and powerful upgrades, which more than makes up for the hefty amounts of repetion. Clearly a contender for game of the year.

With great looks, new features and refined gameplay, Capcom has made the survival horror milestone fit for the current generation.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a great game and manages to go one better than its great predecessor. Due to the enormous scope of Rebirth, the first game feels more like a small prologue and now the game has really begun. Despite its scope, we never got bored for a second. The game is more versatile and varied than we have experienced for a long time. We were literally thrilled by the new gameplay elements that constantly presented us with new challenges. Then there are the great characters and the gripping story, which touched us again and again with emotional moments.

The few flaws that the game undoubtedly has are annoying. Apart from them, though, Super Mario Bros Wonder is 2D platforming fun close to perfection.

What could’ve easily been an inconsistent mess ends up as one of the best modern Resident Evils: Requiem handles both horror and action as well as former, more focused entries, and it knows just when to switch perspectives. Especially those who’ve stuck with the series throughout its multiple identity changes and enjoyed the games for what they were will have a blast with this.

Nice graphics, a mix of old and new mechanics and tons of cool little details make Street Fighter 6 the ultimate Street Fighter.

Shadow of the Erdtree is a gigantic cherry on top of Elden Ring’s magnificent cake, and while it reuses a bit too much from the base game, the superb new world is the best From Software has ever made.

If you liked playing games from Platinum Games, which are now also found on the PC, Okami HD is also essential in your game library.

Despite its low price tag, Blood and Wine is a substantial 30-hour expansion filled with memorable moments, tons of quests and a beautiful new world to explore. A must-buy.

Challenging, extremely good and incredibly exciting: For 30 euros, Against the Storm offers more than most full-price strategy games, making it one of the indie hits of 2023.

Sporting a memorable combination of superb stealth gameplay and gripping action, Dishonored offers simply one of the best single-player experiences in videogames this year.

Chained Echoes delivers an almost flawless classic JRPG experience that reminds us of the best parts of the 90s era games. The typical genre problems have been worked around beautifully and the gameplay is kept fresh and masterfully portioned and balanced.

Tekken 8 takes everything that made its predecessors so popular and takes it to a whole new level.

Split Fiction is a declaration of love to the world of video games and I am happy to play it together with my friends. It will be a big contender for Game of the Year.

Street Fighter IV is the real "King of Fighters" – on console and PC! With its deep gameplay-mechanics, lots of game-modes, awesome design and rock-solid online-support, the lasting appeal is almost endless. To enjoy SFIV to the fullest, a decent gamepad or – even better – an arcade-stick is a must-have!

Not only is Bethesda's masterpiece a worthy successor to the precious Fallout franchise, but it is also, simply put, one of the best action-roleplaying games in years.

A huge accomplishment that surpasses its predecessor in almost every way, with polished gameplay, great storytelling, fantastic atmosphere and outstanding voice acting. It's a deeply satisfying Batman experience and one of this year's finest video games.

The most exciting RPG, that follows the footsteps of the Baldur’s Gate-series. Bioware goes back to its roots, combining classical party-roleplay and tactical battles with a cinematic presentation that reminds to the Lord of the Rings-trilogy by Peter Jackson. The storytelling and the dialogues are fantastic, the sound effects are great and you’ll be deeply involved in the game within minutes. Though, the technical background isn’t state of the art. Lack of high textures and missing details in the surrounding level-area aren’t satisfying.

An audiovisual delight and a surprisingly deep role-playing game: With its story, style, and excellent combat system, Clair Obscur breathes a breath of fresh, croissant-scented air into the JRPG genre.

Disco Elysium impresses in almost every way and is clearly my RPG of the year.

Donkey Kong: Bananza surprises with creative ideas, a powerful destruction feature, and a sense of exploration that's strongly reminiscent of Super Mario Odyssey—without simply copying it. Anyone who enjoys charming 3D platformers with a collecting focus, clever level design, and gameplay freedom will find a real treat here. While the adventure isn't entirely free of technical weaknesses and some boss battles are a bit too easy, the bottom line is that Donkey Kong: Bananza delivers exactly what it promises: a fun, unusually deep, and atmospherically strong adventure—not just for die-hard DK fans.

A captivating rogue-like thanks to its simple, yet elegant design that will keep you hooked for days on end.

Anyone who falls into this well won't want to leave it any time soon: Animal Well is a Metroidvania milestone.

Shadowbringers is one of the best MMO-Addons, we have ever played. The emotional main story is breathtaking and in its own right the best reason to play this game. Moreover, there is so much great content with the new zones, dungeons and raids or fresh features like the Trust System. A Must-Play for every MMO-Fan.

Finally Blizzard revives the classic World of Warcraft. With a new livery the shattered Azeroth becomes more challenging for returners and encourages newcomers to start off. It's about time to play the best MMO ever!

A masterpiece of a puzzle game, one that raises the bar for an entire genre. Filled with varied exciting levels, strong art design and a stirring soundtrack, this is one game to be remembered for a long, long time.

It's not perfect, but it doesn't need to be. The small development team from Australia has done a great job and, after its mega-sales success, has absolutely no reason to worry about its future. And no matter how much we cursed while playing, we know for sure that we'll be sitting in front of the PC again tonight and immersing ourselves in the world of Pharloom once again.

If you liked the first one, you will love Rogue Legacy 2.

Hazelight has done it again! Split Fiction is an absolute masterclass and a big contender for Game of the Year. The gameplay variety in the coop adventure tops even the amazing It Takes Two and the story delivers as well. Graphics, audio and gameplay fit together perfectly, and it will be hard to push Split Fiction from the throne.

With Spider-Man 2, the developers at Insomniac continue the adventures of Peter and Miles with a gripping story, taking many of the strengths of the predecessors and making meaningful improvements in the right places.

Technically and graphically, the PC version even goes one step further than the original. New features such as support for up to 120 FPS, customized lighting and improved light rendering make Rebirth shine even more beautifully than before. Provided you have a powerful PC with an even stronger graphics card that can withstand the demands. In our test with an AMD Ryzen 9 processor with 32 GB RAM and a GeForce RTX 3090, we had a few small stutters with the "Medium" graphics preset at a resolution of 1080p, especially in the video sequences, even though both the CPU and GPU were above the data recommended by Square Enix.

In addition to the graphical adaptations to the new hardware, the developers at Naughty Dog have also thought about how they can further enhance the remaster. The excursion into the game's development history alone is an exciting new experience. The roguelike mode offers many hours of additional fun for anyone who wants to push the game's combat system to the limit. The actual story campaign remains an exciting experience of a special kind anyway.

Bayonetta still has problems in the story and camera department (and too many Quick-Time-Events), just as eight years earlier. However, the smooth 60 frames per second and the minimal loading times make this iteration a pure joy to play. Don’t miss this gem!”

The developers of Nixxes and Iron Galaxy seem to have learned from the mistakes of the predecessor. This time, the PC port is in a much better technical state. Thanks to a very effective optimization, even players without the latest high-end graphics card can enjoy the game. Regardless of whether you are starting the second part for the first time or are a seasoned veteran: The Last of Us Part 2 is also a masterpiece on PC.

Its mechanics can rely a little too much on luck, but even if you fail terribly, Balatro will keep you coming back for more.

Although Human Revolution neglects to achieve the brilliance of the original Deus Ex, with its dense world, the epic storyline and the open minded gameplay it nevertheless succeeds in reviving one of the most admired science fiction series in the history of game design. Sadly the PC-Version of this great experience is radically handicapped by bugs and excessive loading periods.

Into the Breach is challenging and ruthless in exploiting your errors, but in the best way. It creates a tactical depth that keeps you motivated to master your strategies and do it better in the next attempt to save the world.

The excellent, charming, and fresh indie RPG Chicory: A Colorful Tale has it all: original gameplay, a fantastic story with depth and wit, and great characters that invite you to relax and explore. The story about the children of color in the lovingly designed province of Picnic, which we are allowed to significantly influence in terms of design, entertains over a course of ten to twelve hours, but above all also invites us to think and philosophize. Chicory is already one of the big game highlights of 2021. If you have a heart for little indie gems, you can't miss Chicory.

More than six months after the console-launch GTA 4 hits the PC. With better graphics and the teriffic replay-editor the story about Niko Bellic will arrest your attention to your PC for weeks or even months... promised.

The story is well written, full of difficult choices, sharp dialogue and memorable characters. Quest design is diverse and often surprising, plus there is a decent amount of new items, treasures and bossfights. It's a well-rounded package for a reasonable price and an easy choice for every fan of The Witcher.

Remedy has done it again: Alan Wake 2 looks absolutely stunning, has one of the most crazy storys in gaming history and makes overall everything better than the prequel. The gameplay and the locations are showing so much variety and the charakters are incredible interesting. Only a few bugs and one very annoying bossfight destroying the high score.

With Devil May Cry 5 Capcom delivers an action spectacle on a high level, but lacks the ingenuity which characterized the games of Ninja Theory at some points. The disadvantage of the regular change of habits has been cleverly ironed out by the auto-assist-option. In the story, however, it would have been possible to get a lot more out of the three characters. Even though the story isn't the most important feature of an action grenade like DMC 5. Fights, effects, soundtrack, all this ensure that you really felt a lot of joy in knocking the demons out.

It is rare that 70 hours go by like nothing, and yet I still do not want to part with the gamepad. Dark Souls 3 definitely manages to bring the series to an epic conclusion, but playing it relatively safe in the process. Other than Bloodborne, Dark Souls 3 doesn’t temper with the formula. Not that many new elements get introduced and absolutely no risks are taken. But the great things within the game definitely outweigh such minor complaints. With its thought through level-architecture, great boss-fights, complex combat-system and amazing art design, Dark Souls 3 will satisfy fans of the franchise as well as newcomers.

A fantastic throwback to the D&D classics of yore, Pillars of Eternity is also a brilliant modern RPG in its own right with none of the typical Obsidian problems at launch, be it bugs or performance issues. Tactical combat, excellent atmosphere and great writing coalesce into a beautiful experience. It would be a shame not to play it several times to experience all of the meaningful decisions and consequences. As great as Baldur’s Gate.

All in all, the Final Fantasy 7 Remake port on the Switch 2 is very well done. Players get the excellent Intergrade version with only a few graphical compromises compared to the PS5 version. These differences are hardly noticeable, especially when playing in handheld mode. In terms of content, Final Fantasy 7 Remake remains exceptional. Fans can look forward to one of the best role-playing game experiences of recent years.

Elegant game design paired with a smart interface and lots of replay value turn Slay the Spire into a fast, almost addictive experience, even though the game can be too punishing at times.

If you had a lot of fun with the fantastic F1 2016, you will love F1 2017. It is clearly more than just a simple update of its predecessor.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 combines aspects from the previous games and features a lot of details without excluding people who haven’t played them yet. Aside from the mediocre graphics and some other issues it’s one of the best JRPGs available for Nintendo Switch.

Psychonauts 2 is everything you could ask from a sequel. A glorious return to form for Double Fine.

If you love to laugh and shoot at the same time, Borderlands 2 is for you. The remarkable humor oozes through the whole 40 hour long game and is the glue that keeps the otherwise not-so innovative game together. Gearbox managed a pimped version of the original game but dared not to try something new.

Even the weakest version of Nier: Automata is an unforgettable, mindblowing experience you absolutely shouldn’t miss. Play it on one of the other platforms, if you can, as the 30 FPS lock makes the extremely dynamic action feel a bit sluggish, but if you play exclusively on Switch, you’re getting a well-made port of one of the best and unique games the last console generation had to offer.

Quake 2 was amazing 26 years ago, and it is still a lot of fun - even if its age shows quite a bit. The remaster is superb, with new content, crossplay, tons of options and meaningful upgrades under the hood. So if you want to experience a true classic in id Software's history or simply have a taste for kick-ass retro action, this is the version to get.

Like its predecessor, Death Stranding 2 impresses with incredible graphics and staging. The gameplay has been improved, and useful innovations have been added. Nevertheless, there are some features that disrupt the flow of the game over time. Fans of the first installment are treated to another masterpiece. However, Death Stranding 2 remains a very individual matter. Anyone who didn't like the first installment and hopes to finally immerse themselves in the dark sci-fi world with the sequel won't have much fun with the second installment either.

Emotional, varied and sometimes wonderfully crazy: Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a real action role-playing monster that offers exactly the virtues that series fans expect.

The amount of original licences and the quality of the atmosphere inside the virtual stadiums fills every true fan's heart with joy. Nevertheless there are some minor annoyances with the new impact engine producing absurd results and if you turn of the assistances for passing and shooting, you'll experience considerably less precision than in PES 2012. So on the pitch it comes down to a matter of taste between the more organic PES 2012 and the more tactical approach of FIFA 12.

Firaxis took the essence of the beloved 1994's classic X-Com and didn't just perfectly modernize it, the Civ-makers even expanded the great concept with new mechanics to deliver an even deeper experience. Thanks to the addictive gameplay, Enemy Unknown is easily the best tactical game since Jagged Alliance 2 and my personal game of the year.

A great finale to a remarkable series. While Mass Effect 3 may not be perfect, the stirring story, smart writing and fast combat still make for an exceptional experience.

Dirt 2 is a fast paced racing game that is appealing to all fans of this genre. However the series is more and more losing its simulation character and becoming an arcade franchise. Is that a good or bad thing? Decide for yourself. Nonetheless the game is looking great especially in DirectX 11.

It Takes Two is brimming with creative ideas, diverse gameplay and a touching narrative that fits the overall theme. With all the different mechanics stuffed in, it is surprisingly how almost all of them work perfectly and thus, create a joyful cooperative experience everyone should have a go at.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 tweaks all the right rough edges of its predecessor without losing any of its character. The result is a fantastic role-playing game in which you can lose yourself for hours.

Great game, cleanly ported: The PC version of Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut is the perfect opportunity to catch up on the classic in its most beautiful form.

The Last of Us Part 1 is the definitive version of Naughty Dog's masterpiece of the PS3 era. Although it does not include the new gameplay mechanics from Part 2, like dodging or crawling, the game still feels modern and the story is still one of the best in video game history. The graphics are absolutely phenomenal and because of the new facial animations Part 1 is even more emotional than the original. Thanks to the Features of the Dualsense controller and 3D Audio is is also more immersive. The Last of Us has always been a special experience and now it is one for the new generation as well.

Although What Remains of Edith Finch is a very short game (three to four hours), it offers a brilliantly intriguing story and an amazing gameplay specially tailored for every character. Beautiful and bittersweet.

I recommend starting immediately with WotC - provided that Firaxis patches a few error sources since the release.

Dusk does not reinvent the wheel and has no intention to do so. It offers wonderfully fast-paced and robust first person action that mostly lives up to classics like Doom or Quake. Add some great level design and a bold art style, and you get a retro experience that would have been an instant classic, if it had been released 23 years ago.

Great battles against creative monsters that help you overcome small weaknesses. Monster Hunter lives from the hunts and they are more than successful.

A masterpiece that transcends the boundaries of platformers and puzzle games alike. Beautiful visuals, smooth gameplay and fantastic audio - it's one the most atmospheric games we've played in years.

Quotation forthcoming.

The Switch version of The Lost Crown is a quality release, with a smooth framerate and very little compromises compared to the other versions. It's easily one of the best metroidvanias on the system and a fantastic comeback for both Ubisoft Montpellier and the Prince of Persia franchise.

Mewgenics does exactly what a roguelite should do: it never gets boring. Every time we think we've seen it all, another class is added. Or a new mechanic, effect, or level. The 13 years of development time were definitely worth it, because so much content in a single game is anything but ordinary. If you're into roguelites, turn-based tactics, or cats, you should definitely check out Mewgenics.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is a beautiful adventure that has its own peculiarities that you have to get used to, and in which your own stories are often more interesting than the pre-written ones. Above all, it's one that's so incredibly entertaining that we won't be able to put it down any time soon.

An outstanding sequel that merges a heartfelt story, stunning visuals, challenging gameplay and glorious music into what is already one of the best games of the year.

Even though the almost 20-hour detective story takes a lot of time at the beginning and has been provided with little playful variety, Pentiment shines with a gripping murder investigation that captivates more intensively step by step. The team around Sawyer succeeds flawlessly in connecting interesting characters from different social classes and backgrounds to a complex web that contains many major and also intimate revelations. 

More accessible and ultimately better than the second game. Far Cry 3 offers incredible freedom in a beautiful world, while delivering a decent main quest with interesting characters, exciting combat and much more compelling player progression this time around. It's not perfect though: Some boring side quests, linear mission design and needless crafting/animal hunting drag the experience down quite a bit.

Improved in every single aspect, Rogue Legacy 2 is not only a fantastic sequel, it's simply one of the best rogue-lites we've played in years.

It's got pretty much everything the community hoped for: powerful combat, tons of loot, cool classes, fun bosses and varied environments. The main downsides are the overall lack of fresh ideas and weak storytelling. But even so, with single-player, LAN and online game modes, a fair amount of content and a mod editor to be released soon, the game comes as a complete package for a ridiculously low price.

A hot contender for Game of the Year 2016. If you’re into turn-based tactics at all, this is the game for you. XCOM 2 builds and improves upon every aspect that made Enemy Unknown great. After XCOM 2, there is simply no reason to go back to Firaxis’s first game in the series.

Quality has its price, so it’s no surprise that the developers had to run into debts to finish their project. The result is gorgeous and a unique experience full of creativity and charm.

Along with its charming 2D retro look and awesome soundtrack the game cast a spell on me with its authentic characters.