Manages to fix almost everything that felt lacking in the first installment. With it's stunning visuals, engaging storyline and fun gameplay Assassin's Creed II is easily one of the best games of 2009. [Dec 2009]

One of the best games for Xbox: good missions, excellent story and puzzles. The biggest and perhaps the only problem is the inconsistent framerate. [Jan 2006]

A positively over-the-top beat 'em up -adventure. The battles are simply stunning - sexy, bloody, brutal and above all: fun. [Jan 2010]

Having played Diablo titles exclusively on the PC, I was surprised to find out how well Diablo III plays on PlayStation 4. The gameplay is as addictive as ever and it's hard to fault the console version's local co-op and supersized loot drops. [Sept 2014]

An excellent action-adventure. The familiar theme of helping the girl through difficult places is still delightfully fresh. A true PS2 classic, no doubt about it. [Feb 2006]

A military shooter of the highest calibre. Mexico City is one of the most amazing environments seen in video games thus far. [Mar 2006]

FIFA 12 is one of those few versions that can be considered as a milestone in the FIFA series. Tactical defending revolutionizes defending routines while improved AI can actually pass the ball. Player impact engine is also pretty impressive. [Oct 2011]

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story features simply the best villain of video game history in Bowser, which is not half bad by itself, but what is best about the newest Mario & Luigi is the fact that it is a fantastic game. Be it the funny storyline of the game, its colorful characters or the diverse minigames, everything about this title is top notch. Bowser’s Inside Story is a great sequel to Partners in Time and one of the best games for Nintendo DS. [Nov 2010]

Adds speed and fun multiplayer-modes to the already excellent Trials-formula. [May 2012]

Excellently written, acted and dramatized. The interweaving stories are pure genius. Character movement control needs tweaking, but that's a minor gripe. [Mar 2009]

Way to go, Vivendi! It is always better to give it away free than let it be forgotten. [Dec 2006]

A remaster of a classic adventure that has been done lovingly but perhaps a little too conservatively. Luckily, few games have stood the test of time like The Wind Waker. [Oct 2013]

An addictive football game with awesome gameplay, although the practice mode should have been more detailed. The franchise mode is very close to the real thing. [Apr. 05]

A great example of how to use the special abilities of the DS cleverly and how to make a familiar series feel fresh. The only gripe in the game is the backtracking that is required quite often. [Nov 2007]

Dual Strike has a very simple set of rules, which means the game is fast and addictive. Some AI would be nice, though. [Oct 2005]

An excellent and unbelievably fast arcade racing experience. The constant over-the-top crashes are hilarious. It is a bit easy, though. [Oct 2005]

An exciting mix of FPS, stealth, fighting and adventure all rolled into one great looking package. [Jan. 05]

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 finally makes its wonderful EU debut after a long wait. Atlus manages to combine ordinary high school setting with the weird and enthralling shadow world, this time behind TV screen in mysterious world the heroes explore. Working on your social links is oddly addicting, and combat system with plethora of Personas to choose from and create is well made and polished. While the story overall might pale a bit compared to Persona 3, in almost every other way Persona 4 is better. [May 2009]

King of Dragon Pass must be the best story driven roleplaying game ever made. Actually this is the only roleplaying game, because all the others are just hack and slashes with stats. [Oct 2011]

Might as well be called "Das Boot - the game". Not only does it simulate the hardware realistically, the atmosphere is so thick you can almost slice it. This is exactly how simulators should be made to attract the casual crowd as well as the hardcore sim nuts. [May 05]

Mark of the Ninja is an excellent 2D-platformer, which cleverly combines stealth with explosive action. The striking visual style is also worth a mention. [Dec 2012]

An excellent action adventure. It's suprisingly difficult to draw a straight line with wiimote, though. [June 2008]

Okami HD is the definite version of the classic adventure. It is an amazing feat for a six year old game to look better than most of its recent rivals. A true classic, filled with emotion, adventure and laughter. [Feb 2013]

Less intergalactic and more linear – but still works wonders. 3D Land is the first 3DS game that doesn't put in question the benefit of turning on the 3D slider. The only major critisism can be placed on the lack of difficulty before moving on to the special stages. [Dec 2011]

Finally a Falcon 4 that works as advertised straight out of the box. Includes the best features of the Falcon mod-community along with numerous new features. Superb work. [Nov 2005]

Very simplified re-imagining of a true classic. Now it is scripted, very fluid, very fast tactical turn-based action game, and luckily not a bad one at all! I'm still waiting for a technically modernized carbon copy of original UFO, thank you very much. [Oct 2012]

Stays true to its roots. The new Wii control system works wonderfully, but there is nothing significantly new and some of the tranquillity of the past games has been lost. It is still a good game and a definitive must-have for Wii owners. [Oct 2007]

Guild Wars 2 doesn't reinvent the wheel, but does a refreshing makeover to stale MMO mechanics. Great audiovisual quality and quest systems that draw you together with other players make this game really fun to play too. [Oct 2012]

An excellent semi-realistic racing game. The Xbox Live race options are great. Too bad there are only eight cars on track. [Aug 2007]

A worthy successor to one of the greatest games ever. It offers a lot of choice on many levels and feels like an RPG from years past - in a very good way. One of the best, if not the best game of 2011. [Oct 2011]

The physics engine is now several years old and starts to show its age. An exhilarating experience. [Oct 2006]

Even the shoddy conversion can not destroy this fine game. But as agme, GTA IV shows worrying tendency slipping towards oversripted missions. [Jan 2009]

Real time land battles are excellent and sea fights a good addition, but AI is totally lost at the campaign map. The computer feels too passive, it doesn't try to take key provinces and doesn't even attack after a declaration of war. [Mar 2009]

The NBA lockout is still in effect, but worry not – NBA 2K12 arrives to save the day of a sports fanatic. The Michael Jordan of basketball games looks, sounds and – most importantly of all – plays like the real thing. The controls are demanding, but once you get the hang of it, every other sports game feels inferior. The nostalgic "NBA's Greatest" game mode and addictive career mode complete the irresistible package. [Nov 2011]

Way more than a simple expansion – it’s practically a sequel. The three new game modes are excellent additions to the basic formula. Where are the classic tracks from the first WipEout, though? [Aug 2009]

Borderlands 2 is a marvelous sequel. Its unique style, vast world and funny characters draw you in, its hectic combat and endless supply of loot cause addiction. Superb audio-visual quality and smooth co-op are only the topping on the cake. Borderlands is one of the best games of 2012. [Oct 2012]

An excellent and unbelievably fast arcade racing experience. The constant over-the-top crashes are hilarious. It is a bit easy, though. [Oct 2005]

An excellent RPG. The whole is significantly more than the sum of its parts. [May 2006]

Even with some slight improvements added in, Majora’s Mask doesn’t quite feel as charming as it did 15 years ago. Still, it’s one of the better entries in the series. [March 2015]

A truly awesome, memorable gaming experience! [Dec 2012]

Dark Souls III is like a Greatest Hits collection of the Souls series. Exciting combat, detailed surroundings and active multiplayer combine to make an addicting adventure which only suffers from the odd technical glitch. [May 2016]

A good arcade basketball game - smooth, entertaining and great to watch. [Mar. 05]

At this price the cult classic is a must buy. The game hasn't aged at all and the sharp high definition graphics and 5.1 sound really add to the experience. [Mar 2008]

Sword and sorcery has never been so satisfying, every reward in the game have to be earned. The action RPG is so hard that it feels like it has been made in 90s. [Feb 2010]

The king is dead, long live the king. [Jan. 05]

Valve hits gold again and turns zombie apocalypse into year’s best co-op-shooter. The tank doesn’t really fit the game, otherwise it’s a winner. [Jan 2009]

Valve hits gold again and turns zombie apocalypse into year’s best co-op-shooter. The tank doesn’t really fit the game, otherwise it’s a winner. [Jan 2009]

Don't like forced humor and bright colors, but do like everything else. Especially Spitter. [Dec 2009]

Blessed with a first-class story and some great dialogue and voice acting. The RPG elements feel a bit too simplistic, but the game is much too interesting to let that bother you. [May 05]

Quotation forthcoming. [June 2008]

A good arcade basketball game - smooth, entertaining and great to watch. [Mar. 05]

Once again extends Rockstar's epic Liberty City saga. Although it's just DLC, it could easily be sold as an separate sequel. On the bad side there are few really annoying flying missions and the shooting sequences still feel quite numb. Even with the few missteps the game is really enjoyable and addicting combination of adventure, action and driving. [Nov 2010]

Link returns once again, this time equipped with a nosy cap on his head. The game is a bit on the short and easy side, but in every other respect it is an excellent action-adventure. [Jan. 05]

An interesting and fun puzzle platformer. The visually flat, but actually three-dimensional levels are very cleverly built. [June 2012]

A great online RPG with no monthly fee. Requires real skill unlike its competitors. [July 05]

Simply the best. Easy to play, hard to quit. Still too clinical. Where are the Gazza's of the simulated football world? [Nov 2005]

A very enjoyable RTS. Graphics, especially fireworks, are simply fantastic. The unit AI, however, seems to be lifted straight from the first Command & Conquer. [Oct 2007]

A solid Xbox 360 conversion with excellent multiplayer potential. The only problems are that the single player mode is too easy and that Takedown was a better game. [Apr 2006]

Instead of "Dawn of Sorrow" the subtitle could have been "A Good Reason to Buy DS." [Nov 2005]

At first L.A. Noire seems a bit too easy, then it gets interesting and reading people's reactions makes for some of the best gaming this year. The atmosphere is spot on and the late 40's LA really feels like an authentic, living place. [June 2011]

Getting better every year. The 2D match engine is awesome and the only thing the game still needs is real-time line changes. Now it is done by AI only. [Dec 2006]

This eautiful puzzle platformer is an atmospheric trip, but a tad too short. Well designed puzzles keep you occupied for couple of hours, but when the credits roll, you'll be crawing for more. [May 2015]

Features three different Metal Gear Solid games that have been improved graphically quite a bit. However, the basic gameplay remains unchanged, so there aren't any new changes to the old formula. This is only a good thing if you like the series' stealth action style of play but a very bad thing if you just hate sneaking around and prefer shooting your enemies. Nevertheless, even without any big changes this is still a great collection of some really good games for fans of the series. [March 2012]

The new flagship of PC multiplayer shooters, and pretty much the best looking game for years. [Nov 2011]

The most involving driving experience ever. Even without the promised improvements (online play, better AI) it still manages to impress and will offer gameplay for months. The photo mode is a blast. [Mar. 05]

Dragon Age: Inquisition returns the franchise to right path after disappointing second installation. Its massive world combined to leading the ever growing Inquisition makes the game really addictive. Plot could be more coherent, but after 40 hours I still crave to search every inch of the world.

A very pretty racing game, which focuses on drawing racing lines. Deceptively simple and addictive. [Oct 2011]

Combines hectic, but fluid action with extravagant audiovisual fiesta. The only thing to complain about is the lack of truly new ideas. [Nov 2007]

Really shines on the original Xbox. A good storyline (finally!), great missions and a fabulous co-op multiplayer mode make this much better than the lackluster Xbox 360 version. [Jan 2007]

Old school 2D works just as well as it did 15 years ago. The difficulty level is set too low, but even if you rush through the game, there is still loads to explore afterwards. [Aug 2006, p.50]

The Orange Box is great and atmospheric fun on PS3, too. Only major gripes are the occasional slowdowns, which luckily don't make the game unplayable. [Feb 2008]

Quotation forthcoming. [March 2017]

It has a great combat system, a unique world to explore, and a difficulty level that made me count the hours to the review's dead line. One of the best action RPGs ever made. [Oct 2011]

Stardew Valley is a peaceful farming game with delightful retro graphics, tons of content and very addicting gameplay. In addition to farming, the game also offers various other activities such as fishing, crafting and quest solving. There are also big dungeons to explore and monsters to kill, but these adventure parts of the game feel a bit lackluster. [May 2016]

Offers a perfect blend of retro gameplay and modern design sensibilities. Xbox Live Arcade games don’t come much better than this! [Aug 2009]

Modern Warfare 3 is a solid entry into the series. The singleplayer campaign offers non-stop action to the point of excess, while the multiplayer offers the usual hooks and unlockables that will keep you busy for weeks to come. [Nov 2011]

The better, albeit still a bit rushed, version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Finally the bosses are on par with the rest of the game. [Jan 2014]

A very good fantasy karting game. Too bad you need quite a lot of luck to win, since you really can't avoid being hit by certain weapons. [June 2014]

Super Mario Maker makes it easy to create and easy to share your own 2D Mario levels. User created content is wild, uneven in quality and in best cases inspiring. [Oct 2015]

An excellent beat 'em up. It is not the most original, but who cares when everything works this well. [Aug. 05]

Frighteningly good. The close-quarters combat works extremely well and so does the storyline. On the downside, the level-design is rather drab and the system requirements are downright deadly. [Nov 2005]

Bioshock 2 is basically the same game as Bioshock. Luckily the original was great and the sequel is just as much fun. Rapture is still one of the most amazing places to get lost into. [Feb 2010]

Tetris re-visited for the 100th time, but this time it is worth it. Fast and furious rain of little cubes drown you before you notice and it drives you mad - and makes you play the game over and over and over again. [Nov 2005]

Super Hexagon is not a game you'll play for months on end. It's not a significant step in the evolution of games as an art form. But damn if it isn't astounding that a game this simple can be such a joy to play! As a small-scale time waster it's pretty much perfect. [May 2013]

Be a Pro mode closes the gap between sport and roleplaying games. [Sept 2008]

Oh, the wasted potential! The great Indiana Jones style adventure potential is wasted with way too much fighting and too little everything else. Still, the fighting is fun most of the time and the great looks and story keep you interested. The dialogue and voice acting are particularly good and make the characters very likeable. [Jan 2008]

A flashy mix of Lockdown and Advanced Warfighter in a great looking setting. The shootouts feel real and commanding the team works well, but the levels are very linear and sometimes the amount of enemies seems a bit overkill. More variety would have been nice, too. Vegas has other things besides casinos, you know. [Dec 2006]

The sequel to the first single player Battlefield definitely has its flaws, but the game is fun to play. Bad Company captivates the feel of the authentic 80's action flicks, which is not a bad thing. If the game has explosions, rubble and a lot of unintentional violence, how bad can it go wrong? [Mar 2010]

An excellent golf game. It's all there: plenty of courses, long career mode and realistic swing control with robust MotionPlus-support. [July 2009]

An excellent boxing simulator. A few more minigames would not have hurt, though. [Apr. 05]

PGR 2.5 would have been a more suitable name, since there is not that much new. The drop dead gorgeous graphics make the game a wet dream for sports car enthusiasts. Easy to handle, beautiful to look at. I can live with that. [Dec 2005]

2K Sports has set the bar extremely high for sports video games, but they deliver once again. NBA 2K17 captures the essence of basketball. [Nov 2016]

Improves on everything over its predecessor, first and foremost in letting you adventure and loot together with your friends. Runic has made a smooth and enjoyable action RPG that is at the top of its genre. So how about innovating something truly new for the next installment, both in character mechanics and the setting? [Oct 2012]

XCOM 2 stepped out of UFOs shadow. XCOM 2 is an excellent game entirely on its own merits. [March 2016]

An exciting, yes, exciting and stylish formula manager game. Race decisions are important and meaningful. [Nov 2014]

An excellent action-adventure. The fighting system is very good, and brainless button smashers die quickly. However, how about a completely new adventure next time around? [Aug 2007]

Fire Emblem Fates is an excellent turn-based fantasy strategy game with interesting characters and good story. [June/July 2016]

Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions has a brilliant storyline and addictively deep battle mechanics. The game is pure gold from the beginning to the very end. [Sept 2007]