It took a long time, but Croteam has finally brought us a sequel to The Talos Principle. Expect a hefty amount of fun puzzles, interesting philosophical discussions and beautiful environments to enjoy. Everything you knew from the original is in this game, but better. It is unfortunate that the frame rate is not stable and the game has pop-in, but that is fairly negligible against the experience in the end, because as an overall package it is fantastic.

Total War: Pharaoh offers fun and challenging gameplay both online and offline. Graphically it is also quite enjoyable and the performance is excellent. However, the game lacks a bit of innovation and the voice-acting is a bit hit-or-miss. It's mostly more of the same within the series, and while that's not a bad thing, it can also feel like a lack of real progress. Despite that, a fine strategy game.

This game once started as extra content and it shows, the story is on the short side at just over 10 hours. Fortunately, the game has enough to offer through its minigames and extra content to keep you entertained for a long time, although you have to reckon with somewhat mediocre pacing and remarkably, lumbering animations. With that said, by the way, we can recommend this title to any fan of the franchise.

The gameplay is enjoyable as always, and the return of classic maps is a nice reunion. At the same time, Activision did make it very easy on itself by recycling a lot of content, adding older maps and more. This makes it not a new game, but simply downloadable content. Moreover, the amount of bugs that have been present for a long time is ridiculous and the menu is a mess. The shooter has potential, but it's time to consider the community as gamers, not cash cows.

The Super Mario RPG was an excellent game at the time and nothing has changed. Even now it is a delightful title to play and even more enjoyable thanks to the audiovisual improvements. In terms of remake, when it comes to new features, the title plays a bit on the safe side, but in return is a wonderful adventure that won't bore you for a second.

In many ways, Overpass 2 is a better game than its predecessor, but at the same time it still leaves some gaps. For example, the AI is completely retarded and sponsor goals are nonsensical, also the graphics are a bit weak. However, the game is full of variety in routes, has a nice career mode and the purchase price is very reasonable. Fan of the original? Then this is an okayish sequel that is at least better.

Wario is back with another series of fun microgames and extremely entertaining multiplayer. It's mostly more of the same, but executed in the best possible way, thanks in part to the creative and fun audiovisual style. Although it must be said that it does not bring any real innovation, and the registration of Joy-Cons isn't always on par.

Sonic returns this year with a 2D platformer, and where the game starts out excellent, it weakens a bit in the long run. This is unfortunate, but the fact is that the gameplay in itself does provide enough fun, and the game is full of nostalgic references to the past, which are on point. The controls are top notch, but the co-op, while fun on paper, is too chaotic in execution, so it doesn't work well. At its core, a more than fine game, but where there are many pros, there are just as many cons to consider.

Lords of the Fallen tries again with this kind of reboot and partially succeeds. The switching between weapons and items in combat is very nice and the two worlds are also very cool to explore, thanks in part to the visual presentation and audio. The downside, however, is the unstable frame rate, the lack of variety in enemies over time and crashes, which impact the enjoyment of play.

Alan Wake II scores sublimely on almost all counts. The story is rock solid, the atmosphere is incredibly creepy, the level design is wonderfully strong and technically it is impressive. That some minor details and gameplay elements then stand out from the rest, however, is so minimalistic that the end result stands as strong as a house. Fan of the franchise, of horror games or up for a psychological thriller trip, Alan Wake II is the game to go for.

This game is better than the previous installment in every way thanks to its fine controls, many vehicles and customize options. It is also nice to see that the tracks offer more spectacle, but that doesn't mean everything is fantastic. For example, the open level races are not well designed and the story adds nothing at all. Also, certain obstacles in racing can completely take you out of the experience. Some blemishes on an otherwise fine racing game for young and old alike.

The design of the levels, the variety, the gameplay, the soundtrack, the visual presentation.... Nintendo delivers with Super Mario Bros. Wonder a delightful 2D platformer that can safely be called a must have. Although for hardcore fans it is a bit on the easy side, so it could have been more challenging. In addition, some gameplay features are not all meaningful or useful, but that aside.

Detective Pikachu Returns is a fun game to play if you're a kid. For adults it's way too easy and graphically it doesn't impress one moment. It's also kind of stupid that the game doesn't have localisation in every country when its targeting kids as the main audience. A bit of shame, since the core of the game can be fun and charismatic.

The gameplay is just a bit better again, graphically just a bit nicer, the menus just a bit better and the game features several new gameplay features that provide refinement. Still, we can't ignore the fact that all the additions are rather minimalistic, the game has some minor mistakes and that we had expected a little more from the evolution EA has promised us. Beyond these critical points, we do have to say that EA Sports FC 24 is a fine soccer game in its own right.

The missions you take on in PayDay 3 are very entertaining and provide plenty of co-op fun, although it is all coupled with an endless grind that is just a bit too prominent. Additionally, the launch did not run smoothly at all, but thankfully it is more or less fine now and plays just fine. Doesn't take away from the fact that the always online requirement is annoying, the game has some bugs and glitches, and some enemies are stupidly distracting to the experience.

Fate/Samurai Remnant is a worthy addition to the series that excels in a engaging story with entertaining combat. At the same time, the game feels a bit outdated due to some mediocre level design and limited graphical splendor. These are some minor observations regarding the experience that is otherwise fine, especially for fans of the series.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 continues on the foundation of the previous two games, augmented by new environments, features and combat. This provides more variety and the web slinging is even more refined thanks to new features. Still, the game is more of the same at some parts, and at a technical level there are some issues. That being said, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a delightful game that every PlayStation gamer should definitely play.

Assassin's Creed: Mirage excels in level design which allows for the best parkouring in years. It is a highlight of the game along with the soundtrack, the Tales of Baghdad and the greater focus on stealth. At the same time, it is clear that the previous games are the foundation, making stealth more of an addition than a core element. In addition, the story pauses a bit too long between the beginning and end, and the combat is a bit dull at times. Ultimately, a fine game, but one with both many pluses and minuses.

Forza Motorsport is a delightful racing game. The extensive career mode provides plenty of racing fun, online it all works fine and the amount of cars makes it a Valhalla for car enthusiasts. Add to that the fact that audiovisually it is really enjoyable. Does that make the game perfect? Not quite unfortunately, the AI is not optimal and still needs some work, and also the career mode can use some more variety. Nevertheless, this is an excellent sim racer on the Xbox that has a lot to offer.

Mortal Kombat 1 is, at its core, a fine fighting game thanks to its smooth gameplay and solid performance. Moreover, the Kameo fighters really add something, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it still feels like a small step down from Mortal Kombat 11. This is partly due to the Invasion mode being less interesting than the Krypt, the voice acting is mediocre and the roster is somewhat limited. Certainly not a bad game, but certainly not the best Mortal Kombat ever either.

NBA 2K24 is Visual Concepts' best basketball game to date. The gameplay feels fantastic and this is complimented with an excellent atmosphere during games. It also looks stunning and the addition of Mamba Moments is a big plus. This is why it is such a shame the game is being destroyed by the microtransactions. Annually a point of criticism, but it's really hitting its stride as it hinders the enjoyment of the game.

The Crew: Motorfest is exactly what you expect if you have played the previous parts. A large, open environment to race around in is never boring. The game is rich with vehicles and various activities, good for dozens of hours of fun. It is notable, however, that the side activities exceed the number of races in volume, which is a somewhat odd balance. Also, the ghosts of other (AI) racers are confusing and the menu is chaotic, but that does not take anything away from the fact that there is a lot of fun to be had in this game.

Baldur's Gate 3 offers fans of tactical RPGs and, of course, fans of Dungeons & Dragons a valhalla of gameplay that fits seamlessly into the universe. The many stories, the freedom, the in-depth lore, the challenging combat, the audio-visual decoration, the fun to play; Baldur's Gate 3 has it all together. Just know that the barrier to entry for newcomers in particular is a bit high and there are some minor technical issues, but thankfully these are more than overshadowed by the excellent experience the game offers.

Ad Infinitum is characterized by its strong atmosphere and engaging story, which keeps you playing. The few puzzles in the game round out the gaming experience in a positive way, even if it is not entirely technically sound. For example, there are several bugs that can be somewhat a bit annoying at times, and the frame rate is not stable either. Nevertheless, the overall experience of Ad Infinitum nis quite special, making it worthwhile for fans of psychological horror.

The surprise (free) release of We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip is a nice gesture. The somewhat shorter game offers fun puzzles and is again great to play together in co-op. Fans of the series get exactly what they expect and considering it's a free release (and later cheap paid game), it's a no brainer to try and play this title. We then gladly take the minimal technical issues for granted, since it doesn't have a major impact on the overall experience.

We had high hopes for Firewall Ultra, but it ended up being a deception. Playing together can still be fun and graphically it looks neat as well, but the rest of the game actually disappoints. The gameplay does not feel right, the menus are a disaster to navigate, the special VR2 features are not used, the sound is inconsistent, and so on. Alas, Firewall Ultra is not what it should have been.

The game is extremely faithful to the film which is an equal plus. What helps well in gameplay is that the maps are very well designed and the game has the necessary depth through the skill trees, which adds to the gameplay. At the same time, the content is quite limited and the game has some balance issues, as well as technical issues. As a result, the final result does not come out optimally. Despite these points, the game is worth a try for fans of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Moving Out 2 is bigger, crazier and more fun than the previous installment. The game dishes out a lot of variety in levels and associated elements, which makes for an enjoyable experience. Especially when playing in co-op, although the game still has some bugs online and the side missions are more of a hindrance than a motivation in gameplay, but these are things that can be overlooked considering the rest of Moving Out 2 has its act together.