Football Manager 2009 gets the series back into right track after last year’s downfall. The best football manager out there. [Jan 2009]

A Diablo style dungeon crawler where the main idea is to slay hundreds or even thousands of monsters and collect all kinds of magical loot. The game does have a couple of fresh ideas such as the pet companion that assists you in battle and can also storage items or sell them in the village. The main problems with the game are the lack of multiplayer and originality but overall Torchlight is a good little game that’s very addictive and fun. [Dec 2009]

Professor Layton comes again and the result resembles cloning. Although the puzzles, the plot and the setting are fresh, there's a feeling that I have seen this before. I didn't get bored, but I certainly understand the critique. [Jan 2012]

NBA 2K15 is an excellent basketball game, but it suffers from some technical problems, such as the laggy multiplayer. [Nov 2014]

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

A decent enough racing experience. The police chases are excellent fun, but where is the proper civilian traffic? [Dec 2005]

Great immersion, good graphics and awesome sounds... and absolutely fun to play! In the other hand, not much evolution compared to earlier Simbin games. Still no real-like rain (like in GP4) and still too low damage sensitivity and too simple damage model. Two formula cars are welcomed add-on, however their drivability and grip feel should be better. I hope these formula cars are profecy of F1 racing game from Simbin in future. Again great game for sim veterans and normal players. [Nov 2007]

While Gravity Rush is not a perfect game (The combat is lacking, the camera disorientating and the story lacks a proper ending) it is still an extremely fun and addicting piece of gravity shifting adventure. The world, with its odd inhabitants, colorful areas and memorable music deserves most praise. [Sept 2012]

One of the best action games made for Nintendo DS. [Sept 2008]

Absolutely furiating. It’s not unfair nor unbalanced. It’s a perfect example of a game, which demands practice, practice and practice. Sigma 2 is a dinosaur, a relic from ancient times. It doesn’t hold your hand when the bad guys kick the crap out of you. It spits on your face, kicks you in the stomach and makes you cry or try again. [Dec 2009]

It's hard to imagine, that Activision let this one go. Sleeping Dogs is action packed sandbox shooter, which - in many ways - does things a lot better than GTA. Parkour, shooting and hand to hand combat are wrapped around a stunning virtual version of Hong Kong. The story isn't quite Rockstar, but it keeps the action going. The bar is set for the fifth Grand Theft Auto. [Sept 2012]

Rhythm Paradise has quirky sense of style, catchy tunes and it pushes you to try harder to master the minigames. Sometimes it’s hard to know what you are doing wrong though. [June 2009]

Abzu's charming aquatic world is always softly in motion. A good-looking journey comes with repetitive and shallow gameplay and its pursuit of affecting emotions remains halfway. Still, execution being detailed and captivating it's definitely worth a dive. One of the best underwater exploration games out there. [Sept 2016]

Grand Theft Auto Online is very entertaining and it has a lot of variation. Perhaps more than any online action game before. The player collecting routines could be better, though. [Nov 2013]

Hitman: Blood Money is the turbocharged, ultra-sophisticated version of the previous Hitmans. As such, I liked it a lot, but at the same time there was the feeling that I have now murdered everyone there is to murder. Next time, something radically new is needed. [June 2006]

If there were a game version of Twin Peaks, it would be Alan Wake. The great Pacific Northwest is a magnificently eerie backdrop for a horror story coming to life. It paces the combat and slower moments well, and it's nice not to have to fight every fight: running away works just as good. The overdone narrator voice gets annoying at times, but luckily Alan's musings lessen towards the end of the game. [May 2010]

It's too bad that the company that made L.A. Noire went under before the fully realized PC version came out. The detective playstyle and the 1940's ambience of L.A. Noire are something completely different from what we usually see in games nowadays. At times the interrogations can be a bit frustrating, but that only adds to the overall atmosphere of the game. [Dec 2011]

Race 07 was just a season update for Race, and GTR Evolution continues to same direction. It adds the game some cars and legendary Nordscleife track, but basicly that's all. Everything is quite nice but nothing rises above the minimum level of hardcore racing simulators. Graphics engine looks like 5 years old. Production cars, that should shine brightly, look like plastic cars with plastic shine. In race cars that effect didn't bother, but with production cars graphics engine show its lack of ability to draw realistic lighting effects. Race 07 with GTR Evolution is very good game, but nothing else. Hopefully Simbin starts to do something completely different after these season updates, which have been continuing for too long now. And I hope I don't ever have to copy my review from one year old game anymore. [Sept 2008]

You never know what to expect from Bioware when they create a new DLC. Sometimes they are decent, more often not. Legacy and Mark of the Assassin are pleasant surprises in the continuum. The adventures are well written, Tallis is a compelling new character and the combat is challenging enough. The add-ons are solid work, but not extraordinary by any means. [Nov 2011]

Dust: An Elysian Tail is probably one of the best XBLA titles this year. Stunning hand-drawn graphics combined with razor-sharp gameplay ensure, that this title is definitely worth a look. [Sept 2012]

A hardcore Star Wars fan's dream come true. Decent solo game with playable jedi characters, furious space fights and awesome net play. What else can you ask for? As a PC game Battlefront 2 is a technically lacking hyperactive bunnyhopper. Again. [Dec 2005]

Hearts of Iron 4 successfully streamlines a complex strategy game while still retaining the feel of total industrial warfare. AI difficulties persist, however, and some revamped mechanics still need a bit of polishing. [Aug 2016]

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

An excellent, addictive historical strategy game. The awful graphics and the wandering enemy units are minor flaws. [Feb 2007]

A tactical gem that’s designed almost like a puzzle game. [March 2015]

For a non-professional Counter-Striker, Global Offensive is just a cosmetic facelift, with re-run levels. [Sept 2012]

Old idea still has it charm.

The next generation of Donkey Kong is a solid platformer for the veterans. The difficulty level is straight from the nineties and the game doesn't give any slack. It's an thrilling adventure that frustrates at times, but on the other hand, it gives you a true sense of achievement. With these kind of games Nintendo will survive, no matter what the analysts say. [March 2014]

A charmingly beautiful little adventure to watch but a horrendously awful game to play. The clumsy combat mechanics, generally unpleasant gameplay and violently unfair difficulty make this one of the most unpleasant gaming experiences of the year. It may look cute, but make no mistake: it's evil. [May 2008]

What we have here is a very good platformer with some fancy original ideas. The gameplay is based on the fact that pretty much everything is made of trampolinesque, bouncy jelly. Floor is Jelly is fun, but it feels a tad short. [Aug 2014]

Brings the evolution of the Warioware microgame series to its logical conclusion. The tools for creating microgames are surprisingly versatile but still easy enough to use. [May 2010]

Gears of War is the same hide'n'seek shooter, that we all saw in 2006. If you strip away all the technical awe, you'll have a predictable and quite boring 10 hour romp through grey and brown warzone. [Sept 2015]

Quotation forthcoming. [Apr 2008]

This German point'n'clicker is a prime specimen of a modern adventure game. The game is funny, beautiful and quite long, which can seldom be said of an German. The last quarter isn't as good as the rest of the game, but altogether Book of Unwritten Tales is really nice way to spend the weekend. [Feb 2012]

Playing SingStar with friends is still as fun as it ever was. The song selection on the game disc may be average at best but SingStore is a great way to get more, more, must get more! The songs are moderately priced and almost too easy to pick, pay and download. Also being able to see other peoples performances is great reality tv. [Jan 2008]

Playing cup matches in the middle of the season against Hartlepool and Macclesfield is refreshing, and the new passing system is a welcomed improvement. However, the controls are too complicated, AI knows how to cheat, the ball behaves strangely and tactically FIFA 07 is much too simple. [Sept 2006]

A fine action-oriented MMORPG, but a lot of the promise in the game is still just promise. Fun on its own right, but hopefully the integration with City of Heroes will be successful. [Dec 2005]

The Banner Saga 2 could be one of the most beautiful games ever made. It is a modern day King of Dragon Pass. [June/July 2016]

Minecraft is just as addictive on the Xbox 360 as it was on the PC. Too bad the world is only a small fragment of that of the original game. [June 2012]

Excellent fan service to Dead Space and a great on-rails shooter. Due to the genre change but sticking with the familiar location, weapons and enemies it’s both familiar and refreshingly new. Replay value after the 5 hour play through is questionable however. [Nov 2010]

Superhot has an excellent vision how to use time as a game mechanism. [Apr 2016]

Lego and Marvel are a match made in heaven. The game is by far Traveller's Tales' best achievement. Although the action degenerates still to monotonous button-smashing. Hopefully this is fixed in the next game. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Lego Star Trek. [Dec 2013]

Professor Layton's first appearance on 3DS is one of the best entries in the series. The puzzles are grade A and the main storyline is compelling. The technological advances are somewhat minor and the game doesn't really benefit from the 3D effect. [Dec 2012]

The ultimate Monster Hunter is really what Wii U needed right now. It may not be the prettiest game on the block, but damn if it isn't the most addictive. When the clock is 3 am, and you're wondering whether you should do another hour long hunt, you know you're hooked. [Apr 2013]

The third Saints Row is solid proof that GTA ins't the only sandbox game out there. Dirty jokes, nice storyline and full-packed city ensures that you won't get bored at Steelport City. Haters gonna hate, but that's their loss. [Dec 2011]

Still a very good double stick shooter. Nothing really new here, though. [Apr 2012]

A stunningly beautiful real-time strategy with a powerful campaign and lots of fabulous action, although the AI is a bit on the silly side. Still, heartily recommended. [Apr. 05]

MotoHeroz is a cute racing platformer - Trials HD for Wii with Nintendoesque bells and whistles. [Oct 2011]

2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa is an excellent football game, but one would expect for more than just a new penalty taking system and a couple of tweaks here and there. Authentic match atmosphere is not good enough reason to keep playing after the World Cup is taken to Finland in both main game modes. [June 2010]

The new non-sub platforms add a tremendous amount of interest and works wonders for the multiplayer mode. I hope to see add-ons with even more surface units. [Mar. 05]

A stunningly atmospheric action-adventure that makes all the right moves. It is intense, scary, exhilarating and pure joy to play. One of the best games so far this year. [Nov 2005]

Tomb Raider: Legend successfully brings the legend back in a movie-like experience. Great on atmosphere, tempo and diversity, but a bit short on content. The gunfights are passable, but the bike levels are just plain weak. [May 2006]

It is an enjoyable genre crossover with bit of mech (trench) customization, looting, tower defense and shooting. [Jan 2012]

A very good classic FPS. The warfare-mode is great fun with large amount of players. Too bad the maximum is only 16 players. [Sept 2008]

The disparity between Pro Evolution Soccer 2015 and the latest FIFA is obvious. Pro Evolution has better gameplay, while FIFA has the better team licenses. It’s up to the player to decide which aspect is more important. [Jan 2015]

Inventive, stylish, thought-provoking, polished - these are just some of the ways to describe the best first-person puzzle game since Portal. [March 2013]

Starts off too slow and easy, but really picks up the pace once you gain control of your own keep. After that it keeps getting better and better in every regard. The horrid pathfinding and stubborn NPC AI are still problems, though. [Dec 2006]

Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening has the same strengths and weaknesses as the original game. The world is still a bit too generic and everything feels like it was designed by a cold computer who learned about all the possible fantasy worlds out there before deciding what to pick from each of them. Still it's a worthwhile addition to the game, there is loads of stuff to do and managing you own lands is fun. Also the few big decisions are handled very well. The end feels rushed, though, and the lower difficulty level in combat is a bit disappointing. [Apr 2010]

A stunningly atmospheric action-adventure that makes all the right moves. It is intense, scary, exhilarating and pure joy to play. One of the best games so far this year. [Nov 2005]

Despite the short list of new features, Barbarian Invasion complements Rome: Total War perfectly. [Nov 2005]

All the Marvel superheroes you ever wanted (except for Hulk) plus more. This is what we were expecting - epic superhero action-adventure with role playing elements. [Jan 2007]

Top Spin 4 is probably one of the best tennis games ever made mainly by its simulatorish atmosphere and absolutely marvellous career game. The controls work like a charm with pad, but unfortunately the Move support doesn't work as well as it should. Motion controls make the game extremely hard. AI doesn't cut any slack and therefore there's no error for controller based errors. [June 2011]

More of an experience than a game. Great storytelling and an almost paranoid attention to detail and characters work so well that you can overlook the obvious shortcomings of the action that contains no challenge whatsoever. [Sept 2007]

The fusion of free driving in a huge, realistic game world and the mixture of single and multiplayer challenges works really well, even though many things could have been improved. [Oct 2006]

This year’s second FIFA offers very little that is new, but overall it’s still one of the best sports games around. [Nov 2014]

Shares most of the same flaws and virtues than its predecessor. The story starts off a bit too slow and the constant need for spirit energy can be a pain at times, but the pace picks up nicely towards the end. There's tons of stuff to do and in that regard Mask feels more like a completely new sequel than just a normal expansion pack. [Nov 2007]

A decent enough racing experience. The police chases are excellent fun, but where is the proper civilian traffic? [Dec 2005]

A first-class action adventure with a strong apocalyptic themes. No matter what you are, War beats you down. Hard. [Feb 2010]

Takes the puzzle mechanics of the base game to a whole new level and offers an intriguing side story to boot. With Road to Gehenna, The Talos Principle may just have become the best of its genre. [Sept 2015]

An enchanting exploration of a beautiful and imaginative world. A lot of variety and surprises to discover with some 2D shooter action. Some interface issues, otherwise top notch. [Mar 2008]

With Tales from the Borderlands, Telltale proves that they are not merely masters of drama; they can also write comedy. [Jan 2015]

An addictive arcade racing experience with lots of personality and many surprising elements. Fun, fun and more fun. [Aug. 05]

This ain't an adventure game in a traditional sense, but altogether the first episode of the new King's Quest is a pleasant surprise. It's an action-adventure, but with a high emphasis on a story. Puzzles are easy and sudden deaths won't sneak up on you anymore, but at its core, King's Quest is a new adaptation of Sierra's thesis of bringing faery tales to bits. This is something, that the game achieves with flying colors. Well done, sirs. [Sept 2015]

Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise combines gardening to piñata collecting quite pleasantly. At first there seems to be almost too much to accomplish, but all too soon game play becomes repetitive. Pokémon makes better creature collecting challenge and Harvest Moon better farming experience, but Viva Piñata is nevertheless a fun experience for us who like serene gaming for a change. [Jan 2009]

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 acts as a brilliant compilation of all that has happened in Tekken over the years. The huge roster of familiar faces makes four player tag matches more fun than ever before. [Sept 2012]

The best Skyrim expansion yet. [Jan 2013]

SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy Seals looks and feels polished. The decent save system and the vehicles are major improvements. The AI is still questionable. Multiplayer review in the next issue. [May 2006]

Combines two genres successfully into one and creates something new in the process. Slight repetitiveness aside, the game is challenging and a whole lot of fun. [June 2009]

A beautiful action-platformer. It’s short and sweet but the game feels bigger than it actually is. [Aug 2016]

Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl has arguably one of the most engrossing game environments ever, but it is annoyingly railroaded by tight fencing-in. Also, the constantly respawning enemies are annoying and take away the feeling of free exploration. Luckily, the great end-of-the-world atmosphere keeps the player interested till the very end. [Apr 2007]

Brütal Legend is a game for the metalheads. The imagery and legends of heavy metal have been beautifully crafted into every part of the game world and story, but fun as it is, the game tries to be a bit too many things at once. The action and sandbox parts work well, but the RTS sections feel clunky and forced. Still, if you love metal, this game is worth your time. [Nov 2010]

Tomb Raider: Legend successfully brings the legend back in a movie-like experience. Great on atmosphere, tempo and diversity, but a bit short on content. The gunfights are passable, but the bike levels are just plain weak. [May 2006]

A mixed bag: mostly entertaining, yet still a bit frustrating experience. Slowed down tempo, refined attacking AI and new defending controls are welcomed additions. However, Konami should forget the dribbling controls and keep on improving passing, AI and physics engine. [Nov 2012]

Should have secured the rights to Finnish Elite league, otherwise it is a brilliant hockey management game. [Aug. 05]

A great surprise, truly excellent, slick and challenging RPG, especially now when games are designed for semimorons. [Apr 2012]

An original and modern 2D-platformer. NyxQuest blends action and puzzles into one seamless entity. [Aug 2009]

The best of the released add-ons for Fallout 3, because the new level cap, perks and events breathe life even into the old content. The basic problems of undramatic storytelling and lack of polish remain, and the overabundandace of equipment has eliminated the fun of gathering resources. [June 2009]

Call of Duty 3 takes a step in the wrong direction. The graphics are awesome but the gameplay is too restricting. Normandy was a bad choice, since it has been done far too many times already. Multiplayer is great fun, though. [Dec 2006]

Grid 2 feels rushed and unpolished, there is tons of better arcade racing games out there. I'd rather play the first GRID. [Aug 2013]

A quite entertaining shoot 'em up with very light tactical elements. The camera should be a bit further away. [May 2013]

Mario Kart Wii against 11 real opponents is intense and exhilarating. Sometimes it's also infuriating but in the end that too is mostly a good thing. Still, something should have been done to the power ups of old. Fire and forget weapons and small chances of escape aren't the best combination. While the multiplayer side shines the single player parts are a let-down. Driving against cheating opponent and being constantly bombarded is frustrating. [May 2008]

If you like breasts, Japanese rpg games and beat'em'ups, Dragon's Crown is for you. It's Diabloish hack'n'slash spiced with nice game mechanics and a nice multiplayer co-op. And did I mention it has breasts? Well, it has. In all shapes and sizes. [Dec 2013]

The second season starts out nicely. Everything that made the first season so terrific is still in the game: nutty humour, witty dialogue, entertaining plot and interface that works. The puzzles are good, although still not hard on adventure game terms. The sub-games do need something new, though. Driving the car is nice, but starts to get a little bit dull. [Dec 2007]

As far as remakes go, Halo really hits the mark. Halo: Combat Evolved still offers top quality gameplay, however the repetitive level design is really starting to feel dated. Oh, and The Library chapter still sucks. [Dec 2011]

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance suffers a lot from its bad camera, but it is nevertheless a very enjoyable game. Blade Mode works well and the action is appropriately over the top. The adventure is short, but luckily it has replay value to spare.

Looks pretty nice and plays pretty nice too. [June 2014]

One of the few must-haves of PSP. All the SOCOM nuances are there. [April 2006]

Devilishly hard, but also very rewarding. Sharp controls, sugary colours, plentiful fan service and for the most part highly successful track designs combine to make one excellent arcade racer. [Jan 2013]