Stray is a fairly entertaining game that sometimes weakens to slightly boring, and mainly relies on the huggability of its protagonist. If you are not a cat person, then GTFO and subtract twenty points from this figure.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land remains a wonderfully varied and cheerful platformer on Nintendo Switch 2. The new content feels like a fun bonus that easily stands alongside the rest of the game.

I could go on and on about this for a long time, but short and sweet is more than enough: Dead Rising Remaster Deluxe is just awesome.

Triangle Strategy puts a lot of effort into its story and presentation, but it is fairly standard fantasy that is not well acted. Fortunately, the tactical gameplay, based on Final Fantasy Tactics, is stronger than ever. The ramifications in the story provide new missions and characters, so replaying the campaign is extra fun.

Moss: Book II is better than the original on all fronts, but is not really groundbreaking. The gameplay is still simplistic, but the interaction with the cute mouse Quill and the fun puzzles make it a VR must-have.

We're giving FIFA 19 the exact same rating as Diego Costa, since their styles are very similar. Clinical, sometimes a bit blunt with some dirty manners, but ultimately helming the skill that draws you to the stadium.

Mortal Kombat X’s foundation is rock solid and it’s an absolute joy to play. Unfortunately it lacks diverse single-player content and its deplorable DLC makes the whole package feel a bit cheap.

NBA 2K15 is like a starting lineup with Kobe Bryant, CP3, Blake Griffin, LeBron James and Dwight Howard. Unbeatable, dazzling, spectacular, sexy as hell and blessed with just some minor defects. Best sports game of 2015, period.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 didn't impress me as much as I expected... until I passed the forty hour mark and this game almost turned into the philosophical masterpiece its predecessor is.

The love for Advance Wars oozes from this remake. The adjustments are subtle but tasteful and the new designs of the COs and units are among the best in the series. In terms of content, this package is worth the full price.

We were never big fans of Hoenn, the region where the third generation of Pokémon games took place, but Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire changed our minds. These remakes go beyond the usual new lick of paint and give players so many cool new mega evolutions, story lines and overhauled versions of familiar locations, that the whole experience feels almost as fresh as X and Y did.

The tech behind Two Point Museum needs a good dusting off and works against the game, but the setting and addictive gameplay almost make up for everything. It is the most entertaining, accessible and relaxed management game there is, in which you can spend a hundred hours laughing. And that for only 30 euros!

Pokémon Legends: Arceus feels like Game Freak's big, successful experiment. The gameplay cycle, new combat system, and sense of discovery make it the freshest Pokémon experience in years. Unfortunately, the technical aspect keeps Legends: Arceus from being a really great game.

As a reboot, Mortal Kombat 1 is a complete success and the series has a colorful, sunny future thanks to the completely overhauled combat system, characters and aesthetics. If you look purely at the content and the way the modes have evolved, it is all a bit less impressive, but this is still a bold but successful new direction for the now classic franchise. It almost made me forget Injustice...

The Plucky Squire does a lot of things right. It juxtaposes a delightful animation style and fun game mechanics with childlike wonder and an unsubtle but well-delivered set of life lessons. The most remarkable achievement, however, is not to be found in a review, but somewhere in my heart. With every page and puzzle, I forgot more and more about the world around me. And there, in the land of Mojo, I was ten years old again for a moment.

Midnight Suns is a little Persona, a lot of Dragon Age, maybe just a little less XCOM than you'd hope and a good dose of Marvel love. It's a mix of spectacularly delicious game ingredients under a layer of slightly aged graphics that will keep fans of superheroes, RPGs and turn-based tactics completely enthralled for dozens of hours. The indirectness of the battles and the excess of dialogues is probably not for everyone, but for this Marvel-loving XCOM fanatic, the smack dab in the middle hits a very specific spot.

To me this is the most fun, interesting and varied entry in the Assassin's Creed series to date. It still isn't a very beautiful looking game and far from perfectly polished, but it takes the most fun elements from previous AC's, adds plenty of new ones, borrows a bit from other games, even takes a bit of mythology and pours it into the Origins-skin: resulting in a very nice Assassin-moussaka!

No Man's Sky is just playable on the Switch. The necessary graphical downgrades are not surprising, but the lack of multiplayer is. Fortunately, no further content has been cut. No Man's Sky can therefore fulfill all your space fantasies in a lonely and unstable way.

Though refreshing and well-polished Invisible Inc. is equally unforgiving and a bit bland in its presentation. [Jul 2015, p.070]

It’s official! Gears of War is still a classic. The gameplay still holds up and the same can be said for the graphics. A must-have for collectors. [Oct. 2015, p. 054]

Pay attention, Blizzard: the Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is how you bring a classic RTS to the present! Full of improvements, fan service and respect for the source material. Of course, the games themselves feel a bit simple in 2020, but the CGI videos are just as brilliant as before. And that for less than 20 euros.

Helldivers 2 is a spectacular, hugely entertaining, surprisingly tactical and brutal multiplayer game. Especially now that the server problems have largely been resolved, the game is practically indispensable for anyone who wants to have fun with three friends. Making progress in the battle passes feels a bit grindy, but because this is also the case for players who buy their in-game currency with real money, it continues to make fair progress for everyone. For Democracy, Liberty, and Freedom!

FIFA 16 is the football simulation of the year and delivers a great complete package of football. You'll have to give it time though, to hone your skills and get better. If you don't, FIFA 16 can get slow, boring and even frustrating, but if you do, you're in for an exciting and deep football experience.

Nuclear Throne sparks the same addiction Spelunky did a few years ago, and does so with big guns, cool secrets and a perfect difficulty. An ideal game for on the go - on the PS Vita. [feb. 2016 / page 064]

Wreckfest has some raw edges and is not top graphically, but the fun that can be experienced there is unprecedented.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is a good overall package that mainly implements refinements. Omni-movement is a fine addition and the single-player mode is a nice afternoon snack, but it is the Zombies mode that takes the cake with delicious improvements and a return to basics.

One intriguing murder mystery, two Japanese cities, three great fighting styles, over a dozen addictive mini-games and countless side stories: that's Lost Judgment. Whether you're a Yakuza veteran or if this is your first RGG game, play it.

There would have been no shame if LA Noire: the VR Case Files was Rockstar's experimental venture into Virtual Reality, leading to an okay experience. But instead it looks as if the seven year old game was specifically made voor VR and it even sets a new standard. Only Rockstar can accomplish something like this; unprecedented.

Superhot’s conversion from gamejam demo to full product was a success in our book. The gameplay could do with a tad more variation but that’s compensated nicely by a nice package of extra modes and options.

The Division 2 is the game that was promised us with its predecessor, but we ultimately didn't get. So forget about Manhattan and free up 40 hours of your time for an alternative city trip to Washington. This is a strong cover shooter with plenty of things to do and an excellent RPG system.

After the somewhat scant F1 22, F1 23 is back in the right gear. Braking Point 2 is an enrichment, small tweaks to the gameplay keep the racing fresh, while EA's experience drips from the online content. Enough for an eight minus, but if F1 wants to score big eights and nines again, a major MOT service is needed.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 has a different developer than its remake predecessor, but it's just as much fun to play. The somewhat weaker soundtrack and stripped-down levels of THPS 4 dampen the fun a bit, but you'll instantly forget that once you've pulled off 52 tricks and a random passerby yells "Do a kickflip!" These timeless games are now even more timeless.

Powerwash Simulator 2 is literally like a high-end pressure washer: sleek, powerful, and equipped with all sorts of attachments. But if you don't get that relaxing feeling of cleaning, it's still a mandatory cleanup. This is why I still wanted to check my phone every ten minutes while playing. With the right partner by your side in co-op, it suddenly becomes fun. So, co-op? Absolutely! Solo? Meh.

Metro has to deal with some serious growing pains in its exodus to a triple-A franchise, which means Metro Exodus is still a far cry from a high quality blockbuster. The game offers not much more than some cool moments, nice gameplay and a few pretty pictures of its new expansive, post-apocalyptic environments.

Subnautica: Below Zero cannot match the original game in terms of scale; therefore it is a standalone expansion instead of a full-fledged sequel. Despite this, it offers a more immersive and streamlined experience through a more emphatic story, great voice acting and plenty of quality of life additions. The three bucks that Below Zero costs are more than worth the at least twenty hours of exploration fun.

The standalone games themselves of course deserve higher scores, but the way this bundle is published seems very frugal, especially considering the 60 euro price tag that comes with it. In that manner, Nintendo could learn from the honorable and generous ways in which companies like Activision re-release their classics.

With a sigh of excitement, a frustrated scream and a sad sob you will arrive at the ending of this art-y, pitch black trilogy. We won't give it our coveted Gold Award, because there hasn't been a lot of innovation through the years (part 1 was from 2014), but the trilogy as a whole definitely deserves cold gold.

In broad strokes, Hitman 2 does the same as its predecessor, albeit with some small improvements and extras, but it isn't as well balanced and has a cheaper feel to it. The patient Hitman-fan will get a lot of excitement and fun out of most of Hitman 2's locations, but this surely won't attract a lot of new players and it doesn't take the franchise to the next level. Luckily the 'I love it when a plan comes together' feeling of it all is still intact.

The beauty of Phantom Spark lies in the simplicity of the gameplay and the clever design choices. A little more variety in the tracks wouldn't hurt the game, but once you start the game and get back into the dreamy time-trial hypnosis, you don't care at all.

A hiking simulation you'll want to keep playing because of the unique stealth experience, a social element and a crazy but epic story that grips its claws into your mind. Not for everyone, but once you get sucked in, you'll get the experiences of the year. Yes, in plural.

Do yourself a favor and don't rush through Assassin's Creed Valhalla's storyline as quickly as possible. Just do as you please, expand your settlement, lose yourself in side-missions, go looting, spend hours doing enlongated stealth-mass-murders, if it was up to me, even go fishing like you're playing Zelda. Long story short: do yourself a favor and make use of all the elaborated variety this game has to offer. When you do, you'll focus less on those audio-handicaps and the somewhat slow paced gameplay which prevent Assassin's Creed Valhalla from scoring an eight or higher.

It is incredibly clever how NetherRealm can make such an old series interesting all the time and even delivers one of the best Mortal Kombat games ever with Mortal Kombat 11. I almost had to force myself to write this Review ... In my head I hear Scorpion "Get Over Here" all the time and I will respond to it again!

The sometimes intense combat, immediately noticeable upgrade options and the occasionally well-executed mindf.cks save Control from a bare 60/100. But almost every brilliant idea is tackled by an unbalanced execution.

Little Nightmares 2 is a unique highlight in a flat gaming landscape which craves for more interesting horror games. A grotesque fairy-tale that grabs you by the eyeballs from start to finish, but unfortunately also has some frustrating gameplay elements inherited from its predecessor.

This is pretty much ALL Star Wars in digital LEGO form; nine films of fun levels plus an unprecedented amount of dolls, spaceships and other blocky collectables. Long fun for kids and people with a fiery passion for collecting, short fun for if you're looking for a challenge.

For die-hard fans, We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip feels like coming home. Compared to the larger Forever, developer Total Mayhem has pulled the handbrake and opted for a smaller-scale adventure in which you can easily reach the finish line in one evening. But due to the nice variation in puzzles, small innovations in game elements and reasonable but satisfying replay value, The FriendShip will certainly ensure that you will not soon forget that evening, at least until the next Expeditions adventure is ready.

The new modes and minor improvements make Super Mario Party Jamboree a highly entertaining pastime and the perfect way to humiliate your annoying 8-year-old nephew in front of the rest of the family. Provided you turn on Expert rules.

eFootball PES 2020 is a delightful footy, with an addicting single-player and maybe the best ball physics ever. It's a shame that the game still hasn't fixed their old maladies (random sloppiness, budget presentation).

The singleplayer isn’t worth your time—unless you enjoy incomprehensible writing and insanely bad endings. Luckily, that hardly matters, because Battlefield 6 features one of the best multiplayer modes in the series. I would’ve liked to see one more Conquest map, but the military feel, tight action, and incredible destruction will make sure I keep playing this game for dozens more hours.

Tiny Bookshop is truly made for book lovers. By featuring both familiar and niche titles in the game, every reader will find books they'll also find on their own shelves. Because the calendar changes every day, no two sales days are the same. The varying locations and weather also contribute to this. The interesting characters and their quirky tasks give you a little respite from selling, without losing focus. The range of genres, however, could have been a bit broader.

Ninja Gaiden 4 relies on the phenomenal action you expect from PlatinumGames but falls into repetition far too often. Environments, enemies and even bosses are recycled endlessly in a game world that feels constantly empty and clinical. That makes it hard to enjoy the combat because you almost always know what's coming.

Sonic Racing: Crossworlds is overflowing with everything. The entire trunk is crammed with so many ideas, options, neon, chaos, and mayhem that the quantity comes at the expense of quality. To a certain extent, that's exactly what you want from a kart racer/party game, and the game is a surefire hit for anyone looking for something to fill up nights with friends. Step one accomplished, in that respect. But the classics of the genre, the true greats, also possess a precision that will have you spending hours shaving off hundredths of a second on your favorite track, even solo. It's a level Crossworlds unfortunately never reaches.

Tekken 7 is very much Tekken, exactly like you've always known it. Luckily the game knows how to get maximum gain out of seemingly minimal additions, like the flashy Rage Arts, tactical Power Crushes and surprisingly spectacular presence of Street Fighter icon Akuma. But due to the pretentious and disappointing single-player content it will never be a classic.

Lethal League is worth checking out, especially is you have the means to play it on the couch with friends. The online mode is decent but the offline experience is where it’s at.

Without a doubt, FIFA 15 is the most realistic, authentic and atmospheric footie I've ever played. The most fun? Well, the ball is in PES 2015's court.

As a reissue, Burnout Paradise Remastered isn't really that special, offering not much more than a fine graphical update together with some DLC, of which the Legendary Cars kind of screw up the strong structure of the game, so you might want to ignore them. But Burnout Paradise remains such a classic; intensely spectacular, bizarrely joyous and with an almost incomparable sense of speed, that this is still a must-have. Too bad it's pretty expensive for a new layer of paint.

This interactive story is oppressive, emotional and convincing, containing moments that are as gripping as the better Game of Thrones episodes. A new, surprising highlight on the front of story telling in games.

Burning Shores shows what the PlayStation 5 is capable of, tells a logical sequel story and adds improved gameplay elements. That was all it took: Horizon Forbidden West was already a fantastic game, so why not want more of (almost) the same?

There's no way you're not playing The Outer Worlds 2 with a big smile on your face. Unless you're bothered by the bugs, of course. Although those are annoying, it's ultimately the fun that takes center stage, and the enjoyment of all the different ways to approach missions.

Planet Robobot is decently made but leans way too much on it’s predecessor Triple Deluxe (and every other Kirby platformer) to keep us interested. Time for something new. [July 2016 / page 070]

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the most stunning entry yet. Parkour is tight, combat hits hard, and managing your Creed feels nostalgic. Japan’s world kept pulling me into photo mode—I can’t wait to explore more. This is Assassin’s Creed in Japan done right.

The core gameplay is refreshing and enjoyable but limited in weird ways. [Jul 2015, p.065]

The franchise hasn’t changed much since 2014, or 2013 for that matter, but there’s a reason actual football clubs still use Football Manager as a scouting tool: its realism. Trading tens of thousands of incredibly realistic footballers will simply never be boring. [jan. 2016, page 082]

We’d have to look long and hard to find negative aspects in Trackmania Turbo. The racing feels great, the content is more than sufficient and it’s polished to hell. We’ll be playing this one for months.

Look, this is exactly what you want from a WWE game, especially if you grew up in the '80s and '90s. Plays well, looks good and a wonderful trip down memory lane.

Advanced Warfare is already legendary. Boosting is awesome, mind-blowing and fits the game like a latex glove. I pity Treyarch, who'll have to pull out all stops to surpass this one.

Enough (online) open world games have appeared in recent years, but none like Grand Theft Auto 5. Thanks to this next-gen upgrade we can enjoy them again, at least until GTA 6 is released. Enough reason to rate this upgrade with a more than satisfactory.

F-Zero GX for the GameCube brought the genre of futuristic racers to perfection, and Shin’en only added to its gameplay with Fast Racing NEO. The ‘wow’ factor is abundantly present – not bad for a download-only game with a price tag of 15 bucks. [feb. 2016 / page 066]

Borderlands 4 is a safe Borderlands game, but that's why it barely makes any mistakes. The action feels great thanks to the new movement speed, the game is packed with fun missions featuring unique locations and characters, and there are many play styles to master. Developer Gearbox is deliberately returning to the series' foundations, likely to win back long-time fans. There's a good chance this installment will actually succeed.

Overcooked 2 is everything we loved about Overcooked, but better. We are very happy to see the online options, though this game is still the best when it is just you and a friend killing it in the most chaotic kitchens imaginable.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a wonderful little game that proves that a limitation (in this case, Toad’s inability to jump) can be the cornerstone for some truly inspiring and creative ideas. Each of the seventy plus levels is a masterclass in level design and will invite you to find every little secret they hold. Our only regret is that there aren’t even more levels in this package, as even these seventy levels are over far too quickly.

Sunset Overdrive is the most fun I've had in a game so far this year. A brilliant combination of all the best parts of other open world games, complimented with really enjoyable traversal mechanics and a unique sense of style and humor.

Samurai Shodown isn't unnecessarily complex and has enough depth to ensure a fighting game that should appeal to almost everyone. The lack of a good Story Mode should not spoil the fun, because you'll want to play Samurai Shodown for the great multiplayer.

Firewatch doesn’t live up to the high expectations as it’s too unpolished and too plotty to leave any sort of lasting impression. Its best moments are gripping and worth checking out but the overall package is a tad underwhelming.

Do you like Limbo and Inside? If so, Little Nightmares will be right up your alley. The game is less original and expressive as Playdead's titles though.

Dirt 5 doesn't really look next-gen, but there is very little wrong with the game itself. It plays so well, that you'll forgive and forget to poorly design choices of the game. Highly recommended for anyone who loves arcade racing games.

Technically and mechanically, Sifu is very solid as a strong roguelike beat-'em-up with a slick style and atmosphere. However, if you haven't reached a state of enlightenment and eternal peace, this can be an extremely tough game for you and the euphoria of success should keep you going for hours of rehearsal and practice. But it is well worth it, in my opinion.

In terms of improvements, there could've just as well been a 5 behind this Borderlands.

Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns offers plenty of content to make both PvP as well as PvE oriented players happy. Besides this the MMORPG has become more social with the release of this expansion. The only negative worth mentioning is the fact that your character doesn't really 'grow' while experiencing Heart of Thorns. But ah well, I'm sure you'll soon forget this once you're gliding through the jungle.

This is a how a traditional JRPG is meant to be. Fans of that genre get exactly what they want but don’t expect any radical improvements on the classic conventions. [jan. 2016 / page 068]

Civilization: Beyond Earth may be a spin-off but one that can stand on its own. Things are more unpredictable but the gameplay is still very familiar. More important: Beyond Earth is more than just Civilization V in space.

Looking at it negatively, you could say that PES 2018 is torn between two ideas, even seems to have some kind of identity crisis. Glass half full types will see it as a lovely soccer game, that can even be more fun than FIFA when played with friends. The added realism even gives it the credibility needed to give it an edge over FIFA.

Assassin's Creed Origins' believability is hindered by awful voice acting with unnatural, annoying accents and ugly, wooden animations. But to gamers who aren't too bothered about these things or are even blind and deaf to it, this will be a fascinating adventure in a beautiful, enormous Ancient Egypt that's full of nice rewards and challenging battles.

Planet Zoo is a beautiful zoo simulator that shines in options, depth and challenge, and it gives you the possibility to build true gems. Every now and again Planet Zoo drops the ball when talking about smaller animals and building options, but the messing around is more than worth it.

Far Cry is enormously big, has a beautiful open world, soaked in a great atmosphere. It's stuffed with content and is sometimes a bit chaotic, but the story is well built up and is highly memorable with great bad guys and girls. It does, however, have some frustrating moments and lacks good stealth gameplay.

Age of Empires 4 does more than play purely on nostalgia. It's a meticulous follow-up to the original trilogy with a range of options to tailor your RTS experience to your taste. Will it herald the comeback of the genre? No, it's not exceptional, remarkable, or innovative enough for that. It does satisfy the hunger of keyboard-mouse strategists that have been treated too stepmotherly.

Immortals Fenyx Rising offers delightful combat, smooth traversal and outstanding puzzles in an eye-catching, beautiful environment. The almost perfectly executed (and often well-stolen) gameplay, however, is somewhat at odds with the strange tone of the story. Ubisoft Quebec has tried to put a certain whimsy on the characters and dialogue, but I struggle to get caught up in the humour and playfulness of it. Hopefully you can, because if so, you and Mr./Mrs. Fenyx will have an excellent time together.

Stellar Blade is a well-finished action game that has a lot to offer. There is extensive combat that tests both your thinking and reaction skills, spectacular graphics and performance, a fascinating story in a world with a lot of lore and, in addition to the more serious moments, also a good dose of fun with collectibles and side missions. It may not be for everyone due to the over-the-top fanservice, lifeless NPCs, and character and boss reskins that are quite unnecessary. If this doesn't really matter to you and you're looking for challenge, splendor and splendor, then you've come to the right place.

Did Ninja Theory manage to recreate the same impact and blow me away again? The answer is a resounding yes. Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is an improvement on all fronts. The game retains its respectful representation of psychoses, but now also shows that there is not only darkness in Senua. Add to that the cinematic quality and you have a new champion: a new realistic, emotionally charged and oh-so-immersive experience to surpass.

Black Ops III does exactly what’s expected and plays like a charm, but also feels like something we’ve already been playing for 10 years. The campaign also drops some stitches here and there, but the game makes up for that with the high quality production values and the huge and versatile package it offers.

Age of Wonders: Planetfall is one of the better 4X science-fiction games of the last few years, which is mainly thanks to the exploration, the battles and how these are joined together with quite an expansive narrative. The base building and management is somewhat less interesting, but far from a chore.

So is the hype surrounding Fall Guys justified? Yes for sure. However, it will not be very durable unless the game is regularly updated.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is one of the most charming platform adventures ever, with beautiful environments, characters and a compelling and exciting story. As far as gameplay is concerned, you've played these kinds of games many times before and technically the game isn't perfect, but it's packed in a masterful jacket.

Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is the best version of the game ever and is fantastic for the gamers with nostalgic feelings, but for newcomers the 20-year-old graphics and design take a while. Fortunately the gameplay is still great.

It's great to see how the developers of Gears Tactics have cleverly and successfully turned a huge array of Gears of War elements into turn-based tactics, resulting in surprisingly spectacular gameplay. But with a missing meta game or other game modes besides the campaign, it still feels a bit like Tactic-ish Antics Starring the Gears.

The flowery, happy, intensely funny action of the first Garden Warfare is improved and expanded with a huge single-player mode, making this a way better game than the first one. [april. 2016 / page 058]

I would have preferred the cute anime designs and simple story after Three Houses, but otherwise Fire Emblem Engage is familiarly good. The maps in particular are very strong and offer enough challenge for the very strong Emblem Rings.

Soulcalibur VI is a helluva game, but feels a little bit like The Force Awakens of the Soulcalibur-series: It's trying to ensure you that it's 'really a Soulcalibur game! Really!' And that's nice, but it's also a very safe choice. There is nothing new to be found. There is no surprise at all. It's like old wine in new bottles. That's fine for a competitive fighting game like this one, but somewhere that lack of ambition is bothering me a bit. I will play this game with a lot of pleasure and passion, but I silently hope that the next Soucalibur will bring a little bit more to the table.