A great action-RPG. It has a very good selection of heroes and superpowers. The clunky inventory system needs improvement. [Nov 2005]

An excellent classic shoot 'em up in the vein of Defender. Very pretty, very challenging.

SOMA is an intelligent, enjoyable adventure. I like it a lot. [Oct 2015]

Yet another stylish, superbly designed game from Introversion. Not the most long-lasting single play experience, but for the price, who dares to complain? [Dec 2006, p.82]

Skate 2 makes the best skate game out there even better. [Jan 2009]

More like an add-on than a real sequel. Despite that, Earned in Blood has better AI and is overall better than the first one. The best WW2 team leader game at the moment. [Nov 2005]

Same game has different name. Only die-hard fans should buy this DLC, because it doesn't add much to the experience. Samurai units are too powerful making other new units nearly useless. [Nov 2011]

Darksiders 2 adds a lot of variety compared to the original. The RPG elements are decent fun, but what really stands out is the superb musical score composed by Jesper Kyd. [Sept 2012]

Doesn’t have an instant appeal to it, but after a while Borderlands can get seriously addictive. It’s really quite impressive when you realize, that you've put 40 hours into a single player fps game! Still, the game could offer a bit more depth with the character builds. One active skill per character is really not enough. The laggy co-op in Xbox Live is a sore disappointment. [Nov 2010]

The game itself is quite simple and short, but the story folds out in a great way. One of the best games of 2005 so far. [Sept. 05]

Grim Fandango is one of the greatest adventure games ever made. The remastered edition pays tribute to the original and modernizes only the essential. Now the controls are working, so the whole package is ready to take over the world. [Feb 2015]

Innovative, fun to play and a joy to watch. A breath of fresh air in the stale real-time strategy genre. [Mar 2006]

It’s easy to get carried away by Fallout 4’s massive open world. While the gunplay is much improved and the quests fun, I found the UI lacking on the PC. The inventory and build menus are really tedious to use. [Dec 2015]

Adds a PvE campaign that is better than in many single-player RPG's. The new hero system is excellent and brings a new aspect to PvE play. As a result, Guild Wars now appeals also to those who are not so interested in PvP. [Jan 2007]

Does not offer anything drastically new compared to its predecessor. An excellent strategy-RPG, nonetheless. [Jan 2007]

Has the Battlefield-series jumped ship to Activision? Actually Quake Wars is even better, thanks to its mission-based gameplay. Now fighting really needs team effort, not only flag capturing guerrillas. [Oct 2007]

A beautiful RPG with absolutely superb battle mechanics. Unfortunately, the game takes place in a bland fantasy realm and has a virtually nonexistent plot. [Sept 2007]

Warhawk is simple and tight net combat game. There is only five maps, which sounds bad, but the levels are huge. Everything works just fine and flying with awesome planes is sooooo fun. [Nov 2007]

Fun arcade-style shooting game combining light roguelike elements, black humor and disgusting things of all sorts. [Nov 2011]

FIFA 14 is a passable season update, but the FIFA team is obviously waiting for the next console generation and the World Cup version of the game coming next spring. [Oct 2013]

Although Mario's newest adventure isn't the most innovative platformer, the game sticks to the basics and does them right. The chaotic multiplayer mode, sweet graphics and excellent controls ensure, that the plumber stays on the throne. [Jan 2013]

A very beautiful, balanced and original puzzle platformer. [Dec 2011]

An interesting and entertaining combination of shoot 'em up gameplay, electro music and technoesque visuals. Very much like Rez, then. [June 2011]

Expands the Great People Points system of Civilization IV to the battlefield and adds vassalage, a new lopsided relationship between states. The new features are conservative and scarce but fit the whole perfectly. [Sept 2006]

Blacklist suffers from the fact that it's way too tempting to shoot your way out of a tough situation. The incentive to sneak is mostly missing and the cramped level design doesn't help. Still, Blacklist has some pretty fun levels and nice free-form gameplay. [Sept 2013]

FIFA 16 beats PES on license, general execution and net play, but loses on realism. [Oct 2015]

So stylish it looks like art, but surprisingly it is also a very good game. [Apr. 05]

Has a huge amount of interesting wrestlers and game modes. Too bad the clunky and buggy fighting system is so clearly outdated. [Jan 2006]

An excellent and incredibly addictive puzzle game/RPG hybrid. [June 2007]

The idea of mixing elements of role playing games and first person shooters with Diablo style item hunting might seem absurd at first, but Borderlands proves that such unique combination can actually work. The two DLC packs, The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned and Mad Maxxi’s Underdome Riot, expand the Borderlands experience further, but in their own different ways. The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned is a story-driven adventure that, as the name suggests, involves a lot of zombie shooting, whereas Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot concentrates on multiplayer and arena battles. Both are good in their own right, but Ned’s Zombie Island offers more fun moments and bang for your buck. [Feb 2010]

Ultimate General: Gettysburg works surprisingly well as a game, but could use some oomph and chrome, as war is too clinical. [Aug 2015]

Grim Dawn scratches the right action RPG itch with a plenty of loot to hoard and a decent skill system that offers plenty of options to build the perfect demon-blasting hero. The only problem is the lack of a proper endgame, as the non-randomized maps and locations becoming too familiar too fast. [May 2016]

A first-class multiplayer-FPS. It doesn't do anything new, but what it does, it does very well. It’s fun and entertaining. [July 2009]

Napoleonic Wars shows that future is the wrong way for shooters to go. Excellent Napoleon-era gameplay has totally new, totally fresh dynamics. [May 2012]

Kid Icarus: Uprising is an underdog tale: how an action game can be thoroughly enjoyable even when it suffers from some severe control problems. [May 2012]

Stealth, puzzles and film noir mix beautifully. The only criticism is that it’s over too soon. [Aug 2013]

An enjoyable platformer that is all about sneaking. Running around mindlessly and smashing everything will not get you anywhere. Full of great details. [Nov 2005]

A refreshingly original platformer. The levels are magnificent and the physics work perfectly. [Aug 2006, p.43]

The newest iteration of the Anno series builds successfully on the previous Anno games. Setting Anno 2070 in the future gives the game a whole new angle. Managing the economy and mastering trade and diplomacy are of course vital, but it is the Waterworld-esque setting that distinguishes Anno 2070 from its competitors. Will you go green and use renewable energy? Or do whatever it takes to generate enough energy for your colony – even if it means polluting your surroundings? [Jan 2012]

The 3DS version's new features aren't essential, but luckily the original game still is. It's not a perfect port, but Returns 3D is nevertheless an excellent and polished platformer. [June 2013]

In the world of mobile games F2P is the king. Every once in a while you'll be positively surprised, when someone releases a real game, that you can buy with a single purchase. Lara Croft GO is a prime example of a mobile game done right, both in pricing and game design. It utilizes the platform's strong sides instead of being just a forced console port. [Oct 2015]

An entertaining realism-oriented basketball game. A franchise game in both good and bad. [Feb. 05]

Clannad is a Japanese visual novel where you play as a young man called Tomoya Okazaki who spends his days going to school and hanging out with his friends. After a slow start the plot really starts to develop and you will find yourself involved in various romances and in other dramatic storylines. You will also cry a lot because the game can be really touching sometimes. I only wish that the game didn’t have so much filler material. It would have been better if the game had been a bit shorter. [March 2016]

Fallout 3: Point Lookout and Mothership Zeta are Fallout 3's last two expansions and surprisingly from the opposite ends of the quality spectrum. Point Lookout is an enjoyable, well-made and immersive swamp adventure, whereas Mothership Zeta is boring as hell and plays like a crappy FPS. [Aug 2009]

A game that stirs up mixed feelings. The sword fighting is fun and the quirky originality of the dialogue, style and atmosphere make a lot for the negatives, namely the boring side jobs and the dead GTA style city. Also the visuals are a mixed bag. The cartoony characters look good and the retro touches are wonderful. On the other hand many places are bland and down right ugly. The bloodless European version feels neutered. Still overall, No More Heroes is a positive and refreshing experience. [May 2008]

A deeply satisfying RPG that should have found it's way into Europe a lot sooner. A combination of tough battles and a great freedom in how to develop your character and your team of demons makes Shin Megami Tensei IV the best 3DS RPG of the year. [Dec 2014]

Cartoony tower defense game is the perfect blend of strategy, hands-on FPS-action and ingenious trap designs. Killing orcs hasn't been this much fun since Helm's Deep. [Nov 2011]

The super powerful brakes and dumbed-down controls do a lot of damage to an otherwise decent off-road fest. Rallisport Challenge 2 did the same things much better. [Aug 2007]

A game about friendship, growing up, and, strangely enough, manipulating time. And it works beautifully. After the somewhat shaky start, Life Is Strange has become one of the best story experiences of the year. [Nov 2015]

A solid tower defence game with interesting offensive and local multiplayer -elements. Too bad there's no internet play. [Dec 2009]

Makes you really feel the power of Hulk. Destroying everything is fun, but in the long run it tends to get a bit boring. [Oct 2005]

Expands the original Xbox Fable with new adventures, equipment and other stuff. The PC conversion is beautiful and an all-around fine piece of work, but the main plot is still too short and the world does not feel alive. [Oct 2005]

Hopefully the public will see the gravity of this situation, because the newest Angry Birds game is the best of the bunch. The concept is more hardcorish than before and the space brings its own physics to the game. This is so addictive! [Apr 2012]

Calling a revised version of a five-year-old game Ultimate is a stretch, even if you do add a flawless multiplayer mode and propably the most beautiful graphics seen on Xbox. [Mar. 05]

A fine fighter, but the Tekken characters feel like Street Fighter characters. Multiplayer is also laggy. [Apr 2012]

Human Revolution was great, Mankind Divided is even better. The game mechanics are more polished, the script is engaging and the world of Deux Ex is expertly crafted. A strong contender for Game of the Year. [Sept 2016]

Black Ops II is a mixed bag. The single-player features the most coherent and engaging storyline seen in the series so far. While the story really shines, the campaign itself feels over-scripted and underwhelming. It's hard not to enjoy the multiplayer, though. While one could argue it's the same old Ground War, it's still a lot of fun. [Dec 2012]

Loyal to the game of basketball in every possible way. There are more offensive options than one can even imagine to use and new defensive controls are a great addition. My Player mode is the best career mode in sports games so far. However, there are some issues with camera angles and a couple of awkward glitches that need to be fixed. [Nov 2010]

Wohoo, singleplayer campaign! Oops, its over already. Come on! [May 2012]

Super-fast fun. New engine makes the shooting look absolutely amazing and some balance fine-tuning fix the few things that didn't work in the 2004 version. The new hoverboard especially is a great addition; with it you can zip back to the action in seconds and there is no boring downtime anymore. [Dec 2007]

An ambitious game about an important subject. Sadly, it gets a bit repetitive after a while. Please make an expanded sequel with more stuff to do and more ways to interact with other survivors! [Jan 2015]

The younger brother of Persona 4 is fast and furious when it needs to be, but understands to calm down in order to tell a story. And the story itself is surprisingly good. [Aug 2013]

Advances the game's storyline a bit and adds some fine new features, the best of which is the simply fascinating skirmish system. However, the actual Mirkwood content is pretty slim and doesn't take more than a few nights of heavy gaming to run through. [Feb 2010]

An enjoyable action-adventure which takes the best bits from the first Tomb Raider and updates them with better playability, nicer graphics and deeper puzzles. A surprisingly good rehash of the old. [June 2007]

Bangai-O Spirits is a hybrid shmup with brains. Tough as nails gameplay with imaginative levels makes for refreshing change amidst today's games that try to cater for everybody. [Sept 2008]

Takes a totalitarian approach to warfare. It is not just about men or machines, but economy, supply and politics, too. This just might be the most finished, solid game from Paradox yet and is heartily recommended to those enjoying grand-scale strategic wargaming. [Feb 05]

This fantasy isn't something that every boy dreams of, but on the other side, the game offers nice story and extremely streamlined mechanics. If you can put aside the annoying characters, the incoherent script and the overall restrictions, the game is reasonably fun to play. [Mar 2010]

Now it's time for the reign of pigs. After hordes of Angry Birds games and merchandise, this puzzle game is definitely something totally new. Only a pig can understand the beauty of hydraulics. [Nov 2012]

An intensive 3D shooter with a twist or two. The plot does not make much sense, but it is entertaining. [Mar. 05]

Project CARS has all the potential of being the racing game of the year. [June 2015]

Adds a good amount of new zones and features to the best currently available MMORPG. This time there is lots of content for all sorts of players, from newbie stuff to heritage quests and difficult raid zones. [Mar 2007]

Transistor is an atmospheric and action-packed sci-fi RPG with excellent combat mechanics and deep customization options. The top-notch audiovisuals are complemented with a gripping storyline. Overall, Transistor is an excellent role-playing adventure. I sincerely hope, that other game companies are smart enough to copy the smartest ideas from this indie pearl. [Aug 2014]

A shoot 'em up action-adventure in a living, breathing city. It looks pretty and is a lot of fun. The loose mission structure is great. [Apr 2007]

A modernised sequel to the MMORPG classic. The basic idea is pretty much the same, but the new class system is good and the game looks awesome. Content is rather fluffy, although it is easy to get into and a lot of fun to play. [Feb 05]

Terraria: The arrival on competition for Minecraft was only a matter of time. Terraria is a two dimensional mining game mixed with platformer and a little bit of Diablo. It's a fun concept, but the yanks can't outmine swedes. [June 2011]

Just Cause 2 delivers delightful, though at times repetitive, symphony of destruction. Up to par graphics and beautiful world keeps in its grip. [Mar 2010]

The revamped skating system of NHL 13 makes the game a bit more realistic – no longer can you skate in circles around the defender effortlessly – otherwise it's the same old reliable NHL we have become accustomed to enjoy every autumn. In good and bad. [Oct 2012]

DarkMaus is an excellent 2D action RPG, which borrows key gameplay elements from Dark Souls. [Apr 2016]

A solid FPS, but the competition in the genre is so stiff, that no-one has time for "only" good games. [Sept 2011]

A fine HD-update of the first three Ratchet & Clank -platform adventures. [Aug 2012]

A puzzle-platformer that tries a bit too hard to be the next Braid. While not as good, the twisted black & white visuals and solid gameplay will keep you entertained for a while. [Apr 2010]

Ten years of waiting has paid off: Prey is a fine shooter with good playability and graphics. It doesn't bring anything truly innovative to the genre, but what it does, it does pretty well, and stuff like portals and gravity tricks make preying a lot of fun. [Aug 2006, p.40]

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is great looking, great playing action explosion, and the PC version is the best version. [Feb 2014]

A good, solid action-RPG with gorgeous presentation. It doesn’t quite have the depth to be a true classic but for the fans of the original game it’s a nostalgia-dripping must-buy. [Aug 2008]

Excellent PC translation is better than the original. Not for the vastly better graphics, but because you can hide the HUD and the game is a game, not a computer assisted interactive experience. [March 2012]

Fails to match up with the visual splendor and high framerates of the PC version. Still, Titanfall is quite enjoyable even on last-gen hardware. It's a real shame that he technical issues end up feeling quite secondary compared to the fact that Titanfall is so desperately in need of new content. [June 2014]

The game itself is quite simple and short, but the story folds out in a great way. One of the best games of 2005 so far. [Sept. 05]

Monaco: What's Yours is Mine is fine as single player but great with friends. [June 2013]

Great fun. Sure, the storyline is not particularly original and many of the characters are somewhat one-dimensional, but the fast-paced battles, entertaining narrative and the fascinating gameworld keep the player captivated. [Oct 2007]

A very good superhero's sandbox. There's a lot fighting, but it's good fighting. A lot of replay potential. The level editor is a worthy bonus, too. [Aug 2011]

Nintendogs is truly is a man's best friend. Woman's, too. [Oct 2005]

More is really more. Full of things to do, places to visit and people to meet. [Feb 2016]

Probably the best game in the FIFA series. The AI can actually defend while the manual controls give the freedom to create scoring chances in many different ways. It is a shame the AI has so much trouble scoring. [Sept 2007]

Battlefield Bad Company’s solo campaign has great characters and blowing stuff up is fun, even if it all does look quite fake. Still the action lacks the final kick for greatness, now it's merely good fun. Multiplayer is the true heart of the game and makes good use of the destructible environments. The weapons are a bit underpowered, otherwise multiplayer works great. [Aug 2008]

This is a pretty and interesting light fantasy strategy game, which based on a board game. The 2-player mode is a let-down, though. [March 2015]

Time travel trilogy closes its last loops and leaves us wanting more. In a surprising move, visual novel style gives way for a more western The Walking Dead aesthetics. You should definitely be playing this game but remember, once you start, there is no escape. [Sept 2016]

While it's not the landmark first person shooter it aspired to be, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is nevertheless the best entry in the series since the original Modern Warfare.

Crazy in every way and good fun, too. There should have been more simultaneous multiplayer modes, though. [Feb 2007]