Not the best game Platinum ever made but definitely the most true to the series a Transformers game has ever gotten. A relief after the Michael Bay crap of yesteryear. [dec. 2015 / page 063]

Sword and Shield aren't the best Pokémon games ever, but I thoroughly enjoy the Galar region.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 isn't as massive a revolution as the previous installment, but it doesn't have to be. The game is varied, pops better than ever before and offers a delicious shot of nostalgia. It just needs some time to really belong to the top of the franchise.

Sword and Shield aren't the best Pokémon games ever, but I thoroughly enjoy the Galar region.

Sword and Shield aren't the best Pokémon games ever, but I thoroughly enjoy the Galar region.

Two Point Campus is just as funny, funny and relaxing management sim as its predecessor. It's a virtually stress-free experience with tons of customization options, unlockable objects, perfectly snapping game systems and wonderfully bland humor. However, the mediocre frame rate, a scant number of game modes and the fact that this game is less suitable for simmers who do want to feel a bit of management stress, does not make it the best sequel.

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!

Unravel is a gorgeous tribute to the little things in live. A touching, soft story that’s rarely seen in games.

This atmospheric unique gem of a game could’ve done with a bit less talking but you should definitely check it out if games like Gone Home and Life is Strange tickle your fancy. [jan. 2016 / page 065]

Demon's Souls is a dazzlingly beautiful launch game, a decent Souls-like game and a technically powerful, but content-wise shallow remake. And I say that despite… no, BECAUSE I love it so much.

Ghost of Tsushima fans need not hesitate and can blindly pay 20 euros for this Director's Cut, because the extra content offers everything a Jin fan could wish for. If you haven't played the original yet, I'd recommend playing the first two acts of Tsushima and then going straight to Iki, because that's the best interactive samurai sensation I can think of.

Warhammer: The End Times – Vermintide is a cheap and tasty Left 4 Dead-shaped snack. The center’s filled with smooth and deliciously hard action, and on the outside there’s a refreshing level design. The ideal co-op experience – one that rarely tries anything new, yet due to its excellent finish Vermintide could turn out to last as long as Left 4 Dead itself.

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.

Returnal is unique, original and atmospheric, with gameplay that is tight like a tiger. It could’ve been a true system seller for the PS5, if not for the insanely unpredictable difficulty and the overload of gameplay systems that can make it playing it feel frustratingly unfair. Hopefully some updates can make Returnal less unbalanced and more fun, because there is a truly remarkable game here, that could be for everyone.

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.

Darksiders III is a bit rough, especially in the technical field, but in terms of content it is a surprisingly cool action-adventure that perfectly combines tasty hack & slash-combat with an interesting, semi-open world.

No, I didn't see this score coming myself, even though it's mainly due to that "rollercoaster on mushrooms" single-player and the hours I expect to waste on Zombies. Endgame has something, but "something" doesn't survive in today's extraction shooter landscape. And the carnivalesque, bunny-hopping, TikTok-dancing, slip 'n' slide 140BPM ADHD simulator of the multiplayer... I'll gladly and respectfully leave that to those bunny-hopping, TikTok-dancing, slip 'n' slide 140BPM ADHD players.

Lumines Arise combines strong puzzle gameplay with beautiful visuals and music. It's a blast from start to finish, especially in VR. But don't expect to be reminiscing about it for months to come.

The way Nemesis is treated is feels like a missed opportunity, I personally would have liked it more if this new version felt a bit more faithful and authentic. But as a continuous, beautifully produced blockbuster, this is easily the second best remake of the year.

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 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]

Battlefield V is already better than its excellent predecessor, even though we'll have to wait for some promised components which will actually make it a bigger game as well.

Saints Row: The Third Remastered is from another time. In a time where most games are super serious and epic, it's sort of refreshing. During my playthrough, I was often amazed by the variation in gameplay. If you've played the original a lot, there's not a lot to experience here except better graphics. But for a lot of fun in an open world game, this visit to Steelport still comes recommended.

With The Lost Lords Telltale takes the Game of Thrones series one step closer to a perfect score. The separate storylines, but also the overarching plot manage to realize their huge potential much more. In addition, the feeling that your choices really mean something and the rapid changes of perspective also contribute to the suspense. And when plot and suspense are put together so well, it’s not that hard to forgive the developer for the lack of technical progression.

For fans of anime-style action RPGs, Scarlet Nexus is highly recommended, but you have to be able to withstand the typical Japanese vagueness in the story. This doesn't fully release the potential, but the combat system makes up for a lot.

Splatoon 3 offers more of the same, but apparently that's enough for tens of hours of fun. I was still a bit hesitant about parts 1 and 2, but now I call myself a Splatoon fan without batting an eyelid. Come, dive in too!

NFS: Heat is kind of a best-of with the best elements from the previous NFS games, with the addition of day and night races. All of it isn't very innovative, but not less entertaining because of it.

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.

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.

The console version of the game has two disadvantages for a hardened PC gamer: not enough room to bind abilities on a controller and a lack of typed communication. Fortunately, the game has amazing quests and three stories you'll all want to check, regardless of platform.

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.

Jurassic World Evolution 2 is in every way better and more comprehensive than the original, but still lacks depth in the building mechanics and is too simple, especially for fans of the genre. However, designing and building your own Jurassic Park is a magical experience that everyone with a love for dinosaurs should experience.

There's a lot to gripe about when it comes to Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, but at the end of the day, it's still hard to put into words just how sublime the action is.

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.

Crisis Core Reunion falls short of the level of FF7 Remake. However, it is a very good remaster of the PSP game that was painfully outdated in some areas. Anyone with a penchant for Final Fantasy 7 should not miss this.

Hardline is an enjoyable Battlefield spin-off that's easy to recommend to the hardcore Battlefield set but has a few too many flaws to transcend the franchise.

With Anno 2205, Blue Byte takes its city building formula in a different direction, which generally works out very well. The game looks amazing, plays super smooth and seems more accessible to new players. Your journey to the moon is challenging and original, but the optional combat feels weird and lacks depth.

Ghost of Tsushima is simply a gorgeous looking game, offering a constant supply of pictures that wouldn’t look bad at all adorned on the wall of your tatami room. But underneath all the splendour you’ll find a fairly standard open world game that unavoidably will get repetitive with time, the big difference being that it offers better combat and progression than you’re used to of an Assassin’s Creed.

You need a special kind of sense of humour to appreciate Gat Out of Hell (the same kind you need to like Saints Row IV), but if you do, it will boost this add-on from 'too ludicrous to be enjoyable' to 'laughing out loud fun'. One problem: it's almost impossible for Saints Row to get more insane than this.

Easily the definitive version of the survival-horror classic, Resident Evil Remaster HD is a faithful reworking of the GameCube remake. Perhaps a bit too faithful, with the ever insisting animations of opening doors feeling jarring and obtrusive in this day and age. The new control method, however, does away with the sluggish tank controls and ensures that the very first Resident Evil becomes more streamlined and accessible for a new generation.

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst drops the ball here and there but the City of Glass and the parcours-gameplay are good enough to leave a lasting impression.

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!

Lara Croft: GO is a game that uses its own limitations for good and doesn’t hold off on vibe and lore. A truly enjoyable puzzle game with a great sense of style. [Oct. 2015, p. 055]

An old school RTS in modern trappings that’s addictive as all hell. Highly recommendable for everyone who’ve ever enjoyed a realtime strategy game. [Oct 2015, p. 061]

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.

A refreshing and challenging concept that’s bound to keep you entertained for a bit. [Aug 2015, p.084]

Alien: Isolation is an incredibly beautiful game whose regular boring patches are almost always countered with bloodcurdling tension or mind-blowing spectacle. But you should only try it out if you’re a big sci-fi fan and if you have nothing against doing engineering tasks, like in Dead Space. And of course, if you don’t want to miss all of the references, you should at least check out Alien the movie first, if not the entire quadrilogy. ​

I too could not have predicted that the most fun pirate game in years would be a Yakuza spinoff. Fine for once. Let's hope that RGG leads the franchise to quieter, deeper waters.

Lego Horizon Adventures harmoniously brings together two inspiring worlds, including the signature gameplay of both franchises, along with plenty of humor. However, it does lack some depth in terms of world exploration.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Before the Storm – Episode 1 doesn’t start of as great as Life is Strange but saves itself halfway through with the growing relationship between Chloe and Rachel. New (insights in) characters, mysteries and the Backtalk conversational options make Life is Strange: Before the Storm powerful enough to stand on its own legs. A fine reason to return to Arcadia Bay.

Observer is filled with alarming images, sounds en conversations, elements that come together as a mystery which is bound to get under your skin. Let the raw voice of Rutger Hauer guide you through a nasty world, in which the game-within-a-game With Fire and Sword: Spiders forms a nice diversion of all the somber misery. But be forewarned that this is more of a walking simulator than a Outlast-like horror game.

Deliver Us Mars needs polish, and despite adding some extra gameplay elements and a little more freedom over its predecessor, it's still not a gamers' game. However, the story and epic setpieces make up for it.

If you have never gotten around to giving the Metro-series a chance, then this is a perfect package. Metro 2033 has aged considerably despite the numerous changes, but is a fine prologue to Last Light; a rancid, brutal game, teetering on the edge of depressing; a Russian cocktail consisting of one part The Last of Us and one part Fallout 3. [Aug 2014, p.62]

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.

Skylanders: Trap Team is not the game that will win you over if you never enjoyed Skylanders in the first place, but this is a well-polished entry in the series. Especially the Trap Master figurines are good looking toys that look great in real life. It's still a kid's game, but it is the most likeable, pretty and diverse game in the franchise.

PGA Tour 2K23 takes quite a few steps compared to its predecessor. It's the ultimate zen game, as deep or as accessible as you want. An ideal medicine in a world full of sports games that want to be louder and more spectacular, but lose sight of what it is all about in the first place: an accurate representation of the sport.

Nier Replicant is a nice remaster, a fine game and a masterfully crafted story. Enough perseverance rewards you with an experience only a few games can match.

Diablo 4 looks and plays incredibly well, and Blizzard shows that it is back at the top in terms of story and cutscenes. Yet the game starts very slowly, it starts to show a lack of quality of life in the endgame and this MMO ARPG is also very unsocial. Nothing that can't be solved in a few seasons, but until then D4 certainly doesn't deserve a 9 or higher.

Nitro Fueled is quite a difficult game with only a few catch-up items, in which you have to powerslide like crazy, curse the AI and the bossbattles. Apart from that it's a cool classic that has had a great nitro-upgrade.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a stunningly good JRPG and in many ways better than you ever dreamed. The potential is just not fully realized due to the poor technical condition of the game, and unfortunately I do not believe that Square Enix can or will fix this.

The highs in Evolve are really high, it’s a beautifully polished game that offers a really cool unique multiplayer experience. Unfortunately those highs are completely dependent on the people you play with, making it hard to recommend to solo players.

Inside is an easy recommendation if you loved Limbo, but the abrupt ending is a bit of a bummer.

Do you feel lifeless, exhausted and can you no longer cope with the pressure of the modern 'look at me have a great life' society? No worries. With Zombie Army 4: Dead War you get the perfect medicine at home. Although it is certainly possible to improve the formula.

Sometimes ridiculously ridiculous, sometimes convincingly exciting; this interactive slasher film is a worthy spiritual successor to Until Dawn. Unfortunately, The Quarry has barely been modernized, with pretty much the exact same minimal gameplay, graphics, and story structure. But the plot, characters and kills are most likely exactly what Supermassive Games fans were hoping for.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a successful outing, which with some adjustments in a possible next installment could even be a step in a better direction for the knitted protagonist. Especially in co-op great fun, although unfortunately we still have to wait for online co-op.

GT Sport isn't the sequel we were hoping for and it even dropped the ball a few times in places they really should've improved upon, but you can still really feel the developer's love for the racing sport. The game also looks incredible and the online mode is amazing.

Robocop: Rogue City - Unfinished Business simply offers more of the original's bloody bombast. Teyon knows what works for the game version of the iconic film universe and goes all out. Fun gunplay and skills, combined with the variety of weapons and a few pleasant surprises, make Unfinished Business a fantastic expansion that fans of the original shouldn't miss.

Loeb isn’t a mangod like McRae was but his game has more than enough content to keep hardcore rally fans satisfied. Not the prettiest game but the handling is sublime. [jan. 2016 / page 067]

Fan of old-school action platformers? Then Luckslinger is probably the game for you. [Sept. 2015, p. 067]

Ubisoft clearly learned their lesson after last year’s debacle and Syndicate is a better game for it. However, it’s still more of a known quantity and your mileage will entirely depend on your hunger for more Assassin’s Creed.

The Magic Circle is meta as all hell and it works in fascinating ways. Its gameplay and graphics are far from groundbreaking but it’s an interesting experience nonetheless. [Sept 2015, p. 068]

The question isn’t whether Nightreign is fun enough — that part’s a given. I hate to admit it, but it’s a real rollercoaster ride. Nerve-wracking action capped off with a spectacular boss fight, just like in The Baron. It shouldn’t work, but it absolutely does. This is a game I can see myself playing again and again for a long time — as long as there’s enough interest to keep it going.

Of course, if you're an Assassin's Creed fan, Rogue is a no-brainer and if you don't own a PS4 or Xbox One, we'd recommend this. But if you're expecting some innovation after Black Flag, you should probably give AC: Unity a spin instead of Rogue.

Playing cards offer great build options and enough variety, the flow in the surprisingly long levels is fun and the zombie shooting feels good old-fashioned. Back 4 Blood is a challenging, almost sadistic evolution of the Left 4 Dead formula that will appeal only to hardcore fans of the genre. But that's why the lack of a PvP campaign is incomprehensible.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound takes a different approach compared to previous installments. This results in a beautiful new two-dimensional Ninja Gaiden with incredibly refined gameplay mechanics. The flow of the action is so good, it feels like it was designed in a laboratory. It's a shame that the platforming can be a bit of a drag, but otherwise, I had a hard time putting my controller down.

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.

Evil West is a well-executed cross between over-the-top cowboy action and gory vampire battles with an entertaining cast. The lack of exploration and gameplay variety quickly makes this game repetitive and certainly not for everyone, but if you're looking for non-stop action, fun and a linear story without fuss, then you've come to the right place.

Mario’s latest RPG is well designed, brings back the stuff we liked about the previous games and adds a couple of cool new concepts while it’s at it. That being said, Nintendo could’ve done more with the crossover between the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi worlds.

Code Vein is an uninspired derivative of everything that made Dark Souls legendary, but at the same time is the perfect example of the ancient cliché that imitation is the best form of flattery and sometimes it’s better to steal something, than to make up something bad.

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.

A tad more exposition and fewer levels would’ve resulted in a higher score for Volume but somehow this modern stealth gem still managed to steal our hearts (sorry). [Oct. 2015, p. 065]

The Pre-Sequel! is a solid entry in the Borderlands series but nothing more than that. A decent continuation to keep the fans happy until Gearbox is ready to move the series over to the new generation of consoles.

Unfortunately, Sniper Elite 5 isn't the best entry in the series; that remains number 4. This is an extremely solid sniper simulation that will keep both fans and newcomers busy for weeks.

Nioh 2 is basically Nioh with a new finish, to me, a person fond of the game, it's not a problem. But I think it's important for you - the rest of you - to realize that Nioh 2 is even less original than my pick-up-lines in the club. Where I can't go anymore, by the way. Thanks, Corona.

Life is Strange’s first episode has great characters and atmosphere but the story isn't very gripping yet. It has definitely made us curious for the next couple of episodes though.

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.

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.

Behind the game’s annoying signup process lies a cute, cuddly and most of all addicting game. But don’t expect to rack up any cool points playing this puzzler. [Aug 2014, p.64]

Ghost Recon: Wildlands excels in the sheer size of it and has a ton of content which offers you and your friends endless possibilities and lots of fun. The gameplay, on the other hand, is often repetitive, which causes the game to be just a little less than fantastic.

You know those lists with pros and cons that help you make important decisions? In the case of Blade & Soul the beautiful graphics and exciting PvP, and the fact that the game is free to play, would be on the plus side. The negative side is mostly filled by the somewhat uninspired quests and dungeons. Fortunately Blade & Soul has an advantage which helps fill the list in favor of a beautiful score: The unique combat.

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.

Pokken Tournament is a truly original fighter that deserves more attention that it will probably get on the Wii U. Unfortunately it’s a bit too thin in terms of quality and quantity to belong among the best in the genre.

This fourth and final adventure from Travis Touchdown is both a passionate love letter and a sobering middle finger to nerdy escapism. It is therefore also the type of subversiveness that will not be appreciated by everyone. As it should.