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.

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.

Whoever is willing to invest in this game will receive the biggest payoff this year could ever give. Rockstar deserves the ultimate respect for taking so many risks, that had no right to unfold as they did in the end. Once again Rockstar Games doesn't set the bar higher, but kicks it into a thousand pieces.

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.

Those who played the PC version of Blackout in the open beta already know that the PC version is not an awkwardly masked port, but a game that has been built entirely from scratch for this platform - from navigation through menu screens and gunplay to customization options that a PC player can expect.

It's all about the fun factor, which is higher than ever in Super Mario Party.

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!

If you have the least bit of love for cars and racing games, it is actually very simple ... Do you have an Xbox One X? Go and get Forza Horizon 4. Do not have Xbox One X? Go and get Forza Horizon 4 with an Xbox One X.

Do you like being tactically challenged and do you love farfetched, beautifully told fantasy stories? Immerse yourself in the world of Divinity 2: Original Sin 2, because this RPG is a gift that keeps on giving, if you are the kind of gamer that likes great characters and a deep battle system over gigantic battle royale experiences or an Active Touch System with Cristiano Ronaldo.

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.

The personality of Lara and the many beautifully designed tombs that can be discovered should make Shadow of the Tomb Raider the best in the series, but due to the sloppy finish this is unfortunately not entirely the case.

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.

You ARE Peter Parker, you ARE Mary Jane, you are [REDACTED DUE TO SPOILERS], you ARE the spectacular Spider-Man and for dozens of hours you don't want to be anyone else than these beautiful characters, doing amazing stuff in a gorgeous, detailed and lively Marvel New York. This is the best superhero game since Batman: Arkham Knight and the best Spider-Man game ever, especially potent for sentimental fanboys like me.

If you are going to play one JRPG this year, make sure it is Dragon Quest XI. This game comes as close to perfection as possible, and shows why JRPG's still matter today. This is hands down the best JRPG since Final Fantasy X.

The areas are more beautiful than ever, the story technique is strong and the new features are nice additions.

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.

It's remarkable that in the last 9 years games such as Just Cause 3 or Battlefield 4 never surpassed Red Faction: Guerilla. Which makes this remaster more than worthwhile to play.

The core of Mario Tennis was always good but by adding fighting game-like mechanics the game has turned out even better and more competitive. Even though Mario Tennis Aces lacks a few small details its core gameplay is strong enough to keep the franchise alive.

Quotation forthcoming.

Jurassic World Alive is an exact copy of Pokémon GO, barring some alterations here and there, for example the fact you don't have to leave the house for every capture because the drone will get you quite far. The battles are quite enjoyable, and despite the lack of context, it's fun seeing the prehistoric freaks taking each other apart in this pleasant app.

Vampyr is a moody, dark game, centering around a very charismatic vampire. Through him, using an ingenious cause and effect system, the player can exert a great deal of influence on a gloomy part of London in the early 20th century, which should have all matter of emotional effects on them. Too bad the combat is far from perfect and technically it’s no masterpiece, but the emotional resonance and originality of Vampyr make it quite unforgettable in its great ambition.

Detroit: Become Human has some long-winded scenes and at times slightly boring gameplay, but it looks stunning, and excels with a dazzling amount of relevant and tense choices packed in a well-written story that frequently managed to move me.

State of Decay 2 is not the most original game. Or the most polished. However, it is the most exciting zombie game since the first game, as well as the best Xbox One-exclusive in a very long time.

God of War is one of those games that comes along every now and then which you just have to give it a go. It is enchantingly beautiful, has a well written story, great characters and convincing combat. It would have been perfect if only God of War would have just a bit more of the overwhelming boss fights it sparsely throws at you.

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.

I really want to love Sea of Thieves. The beautiful pirate world and the exciting sea battles you experience from time to time. But I can't do it. There isn't enough content and the lack of progression makes it an unsatisfying game.

It was a beautiful aspiration: to make a co-op game that encourages people to work together by means of original gameplay. But in the end, the manner in which A Way Out is played is seldom original and it's written like a poor action movie out of the 90's.

It is such a pity that Surviving Mars is infested by frustrating bugs, is at times unclear and has some resource balancing issues. Because, despite these problems, it is still a fun game, bursting with potential.

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.

Into the Breach is a small miracle: complex, challenging, comprehensive and a lot of fun, so exactly what you desire from a strategy game. Not every session is as much fun as the next, though, and it could use a bit more narrative, but these are very, almost petty, gripes.

Metal Gear Survive is a powerful survival experience which is sadly being hindered by sneaky microtransactions. But the game has proven that the gameplay and story of Metal Gear might be able to survive without the help of Kojima.

It really depends on if you've played the original Secret of Mana or if this is your first time, whether you're going to like this remake or not. The first group will enjoy the magical atmosphere and the subtle improvements made to the game, but the second group probably won't understand what all the fuss is about.

Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is a beautiful history lesson about a genre-defining game, which would've been a whole lot better if the AI had reached is definitive form as well. The new aesthetic makes it easy to ignore the obsolete, underlying technology for a few campaigns, but it would really be a feat to stay entertained for all 10 of them.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is insanely deep and ambitious, but really not suitable for every casual gamer who has played Skyrim once. Not because there's no fantasy in this historically accurate RPG, but mainly due to old-fashioned gameplay mechanics, bugs and a general contempt for our precious time.

Fe is being hold back by a few ancient choices when it comes to game and level design, but certainly is a beautiful Indie game that, as the kids like to put it, will hit you right 'in the feels'.

Monster Hunter: World is no longer a game only for the hardcore gamer who manages getting over the high entry threshold. Even though the online functionality isn't that great, the game itself is. Great news for anyone who couldn't stop drooling over all the spectacular trailers: This game more than delivers.

UFC is an almost schizophrenic game: I've never had so much fun with a fighter, thanks to the stand up-game. However, at the same time, the ground-game is so poorly done, that this game isn't the fantastic celebration of the sport it could have been.

Dragon Ball FighterZ accomplishes the impossible: 1) It's the most innovative 2D-fighter of the last decade, 2) it succeeds in being accessible for people that have never touched a competitive fighter before and 3) it is the most authentic Dragon Ball videogame ever made.

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.

Shorter and less polished then the original, but nevertheless a good prequel that expands on the blossoming relationship between Chloe Price and Rachel Amber. A must-buy for the fans but not necessarily an enrichment of the first season.

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.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 is, once again, a bigger game than its predecessors, with more characters and levels, a few new puzzles, a more interesting hub world, more focus on level bosses and a new mode called Battle Arena. Too bad the game has the tendency to glitch you into getting stuck in a level, forcing you to restart a checkpoint (quite unforgivable), and the familiar formula has changed too little to call this an above average LEGO game.

Star Wars Battlefront II offers a much bigger package than its predecessor, and delivers massively on that typical Star Wars atmosphere and spectacle, with versatile modes and gameplay. But the multiplayer progression is a complete misfire and the disappointing microtransaction strategy costs them a point.

Need for Speed: Payback's story is completely irrelevant and the last-gen graphics almost hurt the eyes, but the gameplay is as good as ever, the police remain enjoyably annoying and customizing the cars is nice and comprehensive. Recommended for a rainy weekend.

Call of Duty: WW II's single-player is somewhat on the short side, but it's very impressive, versatile and has some memorable, replayable moments. Apart from some changes, the multiplayer feels very familiar, and it adds the fun Headquarters and War modes. Zombie mode is very dark and is easier to get into this year. All in all WW II is very good, but can't measure itself with the classics.

Super Mario Odyssey is an absolute must-have for everyone who has enjoyed a Mario game in the past. It's a celebration of the franchise, with all its wacky adventures and beautiful moments you have experienced with it, including all of Mario’s odd jobs, his 2D- and 3D adventures and much more.

Yeah yeah it's a sequel, it's more of the same yadda yadda yadda, it's nothing more than a simple shooter... But y'know, screw it: I've had so much fun with The New Colossus, that I'm going to give it a 92. Not everyone will agree with it, but those people can kiss my politically incorrect *ss.

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.

The Evil Within 2 exchanges oppressive survival horror for a more open kind of action in a messed up playground. That part is pure enjoyment, but some far fetched plot elements and a script that is not great, prevent it from being the classic it could’ve been.

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.

NieR: Automata is not for everybody. In fact, the game looks to be aimed at the most refined fans of the medium by not caring about the regular gaming conventions, in the same way the works of David Lynch are perfect for the hardcore moviegoers.

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.

It might be the biggest, most complex and action packed game in the franchise, but Mass Effect: Andromeda is also the least convincing one. The dated facial animations, the inconsistent writing quality and the regularly occurring bugs take you out of the experience too often. On top of that, BioWare has not used the concept of a whole new universe to its full potential, which often makes it feel like Mass Effect: Andromeda has not left our Milky Way at all.

Persona 5 beats every other turn-based RPG in terms of production values, combat, story, symbolics, character design, music, pace and variety. 2017 is a great year for gaming and Persona 5 confirms this with a load of unmatched swagger.

Yooka-Laylee at times feels more like a remake of Banjo-Kazooie than a completely new game, that's how much they are alike. But in this case it is only meant in a positive way. The world needs more games likes this, you know.

You could see Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as an easy port, because it is to a certain extent. But it would be silly to disregard the ultimate fun this kart experience offers because of this. If you have a Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an essential purchase you will play for over three years and never regret buying.

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.

What a rush to be able to play a sequel that exceeds its predecessor in almost every way. Injustice 2 is in terms of looks, gameplay and the amount of (interesting) characters leaps ahead of the previous installment without losing its accessability. And then there's the loot... my god, THE LOOT. The current system might not (yet) be perfectly balanced, but it is definitely the ultimate addition to a fighter filled with super heroes. The loot fighter: finally it has returned.

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.

If you haven't been interested in Diablo 3 for a while now, this expensive Rise of the Necromancer DLC is probably not for you. But if it is your go-to-game, then this addition will give you the best class thus far. Seeing as Diablo 3 offers endless content, buying Rise of the Necromancer will be a small, but very worthwhile investment.

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.

The Lost Legacy is not as great as a real new part in the Uncharted series, but as an insanely expansive stand-alone DLC it's more than successful. We will always miss Nathan Drak, but hopefully Uncharted will continue in this form for a long, long time.

LawBreakers' most important element is the strong, tight gameplay that conveys the feeling of a classic shooter in a modern package. But the rest of the game disappoints with uninteresting characters and maps, not a lot of options and just a few modes.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle might be an unpleasant surprise for every (oblivious) Mario-fan whose hoping to go jump on platforms again, but for gamers who like to be strategically challenged, this is highly recommended. Mario + Rabbids might not be a perfectly polished product like some ' real' Mario games, but Ubisoft took a great risk, bringing us an ideal game for the Switch.

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.

Knack 2 is enjoyable enough, but mostly because there aren't a whole lot of 3D platform games like this, especially not ones that are playable in co-op. Knack 2 is slightly better than its predecessor with okay gameplay, but the rest is barely interesting and and very much focused on children.

Destiny 2 is tough to compare to other shooters or games, but it is evidently a better title than part 1. The campaign is longer, the progression makes more sense, the structure is more satisfying and the sheen and splendor on the various planets entices even more. Destiny is comparable with its predecessor after the add-on The Taken King, and is therefore a more solid foundation for the coming months of content.

Yes, Pokkén Tournament DX is essentially exactly the same game as the one on the Wii U that came out one and a half years ago. But the five new characters, the new modes and the mobility of the Switch make this a worthy port, not in the least because the fighting system is simply very cool.

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.

Total War: Warhammer 2 is a couple of very large updates in a box, but anyone who loves the first game will have no regrets buying this. The new factions are great, the Campaign is more streamlined, interesting and clear, all the smaller adjustments increase the urge for yet another turn and the battles are incredibly spectacular. It would be an even greater accomplishment if more people could enjoy this, but for a game, this is very complex.

Attacking is more fun and spectacular in FIFA 18 and the game offers a huge package which will definitely water your mouth if you're a football fan. That's why it is such a pity defending is less fun and some new features are somewhat unpolished.

The playability of Mega Man X. The intensity of Contra. The challenge of Metal Slug. And the presentation of a whole generation of iconic animation films. Cuphead contains all these things and more, in a product that is not only an ode to a great but almost extinct subgenre, but which is also onto itself a unique work of art.

Monolith set itself a goal to make Middle-earth: Shadow of War a lot bigger and more expansive than its predecessor, Shadow of Mordor, in which they definitely succeeded. Too bad they didn't tweak or beautify the three years older forebear, and that they actually went a bit too far with the amount of content on offer.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole is an easily accessible but moderately deep light RPG in which fun battles, nice collectables and a lot of crude humour will entertain you for almost 30 hours. But comparing it with its forebear, The Stick of Truth, is unavoidable, and in this it kind of disappoints, feeling a little too similar and not as funny or surprising.

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

The most addictive and fascinating card game in recent history just got more addictive and fascinating with the Whispers expansion. [July 2016 / page 071]

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]

We expected this one to be a shallow and extremely niche JRPG but it turned out to be an addicting and extremely deep variation on the Persona formula. Too bad the Fire Emblem side of things doesn’t really shine through. [July 2016 / page 069]

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.

It is pretty clear that its troubled development prevented Homefront: The Revolution from living up to its true potential. And that’s a shame, because the game has some interesting ideas that haven’t come to fruition.

DOOM is a stupendously good package, filled with the best first person shooter action in recent history. DOOM is back ladies and gentlemen, and it is metal as all hell.

Creative Assembly has outdone themselves with the best concept for a Total War game since Rome with the biggest, varied and intriguing campaigns in the history of the franchise. The variety between the different races is enormous and the lore, upgrades and units are no slouch either. The tactical decisions you’re faced with are endlessly deep and everything looks stunning as well. This is a masterpiece.

Battleborn drops some stitches in the campaign which can make it a tedious experience. The multiplayer has two modes with a lot of (unused) potential, which can turn out to become great if players start embracing it.

Uncharted 4 is a worthy and gorgeous end to the legendary Uncharted franchise. It’s a bittersweet goodbye, but Drake’s adventure couldn’t have ended in any better way.

Star Fox Zero is a passable reboot/remake of the original but the controls are simply horrible.

Yo-Kai Watch is a gorgeous and unique Pokémon clone for everyone that loves Japanese culture and cutesie animals. We don’t expect the series to become as prolific as its big inspiration though, the gameplay is simply too shallow to allow for that to happen.

Ratchet & Clank demonstrates how good a proper remake can be when its rebuilt from the ground up for new hardware. It’s a must play for the fans and a great entry point for newcomers as well.

Not as surprising as Demon’s Souls, not as timeless as Dark Souls, not as consistent as Dark Souls 2 and not as focused as Bloodborne. But still, Dark Souls 3 is a dyed in the wool Souls game. A gorgeously crafted culmination of design, fantasy and interactivity. And that’s what counts.

Quantum Break’s tv-series is mildy fun at its best but in the end it is the gameplay that makes you want to experience this title. The spectacular shoot-outs deliver.

This neat little flying game could’ve scored higher if it wasn’t for the annoying ads. Still worth checking out. [april. 2016 / page 73]

Techland really tried to make something new in the existing framework with this DLC and we enjoyed the buggy and the new missions but it’s simply not as good as the main game. [april. 2016 / page 071]

Layers of Fear has a lousy framerate on PS4, the tempo is excruciating at the start and it’s filled with lazy jump scares but as you progress further you come to experience a good horror story that’s worth checking out. [april. 2016 / page 68]

Not all the activities in Black Desert Online are interesting or coherent but it’s still a cut above the masses of boring MMORPGs that dominate the landscape. The gorgeous visuals are a big plus too. [april. 2016 / page 62]

It’s great that Twilight Princess gets a second time to shine, ten years after the release of the original game. The extra’s are nice and the conversion to HD is well done. [april. 2016 / page 060]

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]

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.

Better and more complete than the original Wii U Game. However, we do hope for a bit more Zelda and a bit less Dynasty Warriors for future Hyrule Warriors titles.

Even a stale interface, a boring Career Mode and some unfortunate choices in terms of the progression can’t detract from UFC 2’s brutal fights. The improved ground game and the introduction of Ultimate Team elevate this sequel above its predecessor.