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.

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]

Do you also have to play this game? That depends. Personally I'm more drawn towards games like Persona 5 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, who give their own spin to the age-old jrpg-formula. But if you aren't waiting on the goofy, postmodern tomfoolery of those games and desire that old trusting feeling of a classic middle-age fantasy-environment, then you'll be appeased with Bravely Default 2.

The hype and the expectations associated with it have been a double-edged sword for Destiny, with disappointment as a result. This game doesn't offer the single player-experience we hoped for – despite the unbelievable audio-visual splendor - due to a short, repetitive Story Mode. But if you play Destiny competitively and/or cooperatively, then it's almost impossible not to have fun, thanks to constant rewards and delicious gameplay. And it still has the potential to become the game we wished it had been.

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.

We Were Here Forever is a good brain workout that will give you more hours of puzzle fun than all previous We Were Here games combined. The puzzles are pleasantly challenging and the flow is good for most of the game. However, due to the slightly too high degree of repetition and long-windedness, you are too often dragged out of that flow, so that the game can certainly be a bridge too far for newcomers. Get it if you're familiar with the genre, but rather play the earlier games if you've never tried a digital escape room like this before.

Black Myth: Wukong is imperfect, but it lives up to the hype. You feel a little more powerful every five minutes than you did before, and the excellent combat is not only addictive, it also communicates why Sun Wukong is one of the most legendary mythological characters of all time. If this quality is any indication of what the coming years will bring for Chinese games, we are in for a very good time.

Trials of Mana is a delicious, fun, old-fashioned RPG reminiscent of better times. It's the delicious, familiar glass of lager you want to enjoy after you've experienced the layered complexity of a cabernet sauvignon like Final Fantasy VII Remake.

In the end Mirage was mainly one thing: boring. It is not a game with embarrassing bugs or crashes, but one that fails to fascinate. It took hours to get going, after which it told a lame story and didn't introduce any cool new ideas. I worked my way through it reluctantly. It's great that the game handles its setting a little better than the first part, but that one bright spot does little to make the game worthwhile.

EA is playing a better game than last year. That’s not to say that EA Sports FC 25 is suddenly a classic footie or anything – far from it; this is no Fifa 17, let alone PES 5 or Sensible Soccer. But hey, the bar is just not set very high in 2024.

PGA TOUR 2K21 is definitely not perfect yet, but it is absolutely vivacious. The physics are one of 2K21's strong points and although it's lacking a story mode, PGA Tour 2K21 successfully keeps triggering players to continue playing. And when the game releases later this week, I hope you will all join my Society: Wonderspons International.

Aspyr bundles two games together instead of releasing them separately in a more profit-driven approach, adds some great behind-the-scenes and deleted content, and otherwise keeps everything largely intact. Whether fixing up a bit more would have been a better choice is something we’ll never know. But it’s no coincidence that I fell in love all over again with these two legendary games and their unforgettable game world. Never change a winning team. [Issue#361, p.12]

The timeless essence of Mario vs. Donkey Kong is honored in this faithful remake, while retaining the somewhat dated gameplay. However, with a visual upgrade, multiplayer options, and a relaxed play mode, the game receives a fresh appeal, making it still worthwhile in 2024.

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

Race the Sun is a randomly generated thrill ride that keeps pushing you harder and gets better every time you play. [Aug 2015, p.082]

Planet Coaster 2 has a lame interface and still struggles with incomprehensible bugs, but in other areas it takes a step in the right direction. It is a disappointing and fantastic game at the same time.

FIFA 23 is starting to look like football again. It is actually too bizarre for words that this is a plus for a footie, but the series is coming out of a deep valley. Hopefully EA will continue on this foot from next year without the yoke of the FIFA name (and costs!) ...

This is, graphically speaking, as well as technically, one of the most impressive remakes of the past years. Especially the improved cinematics do the story of Mafia justice. And that's why Mafia: Definitive Edition is the best reason for players of the original Mafia to return to Lost Heaven! But there are little scratches on this layer of newness, causing a somewhat hollow and unsatisfying experience for newcomers.

The Beginner’s Guide is as fascinating as The Stanley Parable is hilarious. One of the most intriguing ‘games’ that we’ve played in recent history and an easy recommendation for everyone who likes weird game experiments. [dec. 2015 / page 062]

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.

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.

While The Veilguard takes me back to the familiar world of Dragon Age, it also dares to experiment. Because that works out well (apart from some cringy writing), here is a satisfied fan. The heart of Dragon Age still beats, and with that mine too.

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.

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

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.

TopSpin 2K25 is not the return of the old games in a new guise. Instead, the developer has tried to make the game more realistic by adding a new gameplay mechanic, which unfortunately is not perfectly developed. It takes the arcade fun out of the game.

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.

When the freshness of a Far Cry in the Stone Age becomes rotten -and luckily that takes quite a few hours- you’ll realise you’re once again routinely finishing off copious amounts of icons on a huge map. With a little extra time and effort Far Cry Primal could’ve been better than part 4, but now it’s an enjoyable spin-off that feels somewhat like a mod.

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.

Rise of the Ronin isn't the dream entry into the realm of open world games that Team Ninja might have hoped for, but it delivers a very competent gaming experience. The open game world is completely dedicated to the blood-curdling combat, so there is more than enough to discover. Add to that Team Ninja's clear love for national history and you have a wonderful piece of entertainment that also immerses you in an interesting, historical setting.

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.

Is he nice again, this WarioWare? Yes, he is, but after eight previous WarioWare games, the surprise or feeling of playing something truly new has evaporated. And for a full priced game, the fun is just over too quickly.

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.

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.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is anything but a bad entry, with specially delightful gunplay, very streamlined integration with other modes and games and a great Zombies Mode. On the other hand, the game doesn’t really excel in anything, will definitely profit from the upcoming extra content and is mostly more of what we know and love.

Atomic Heart is a love letter to BioShock, but the setting is unique enough and the world crazy enough to stand on its own two feet. Great action, world building and storytelling are unfortunately interspersed with mechanics that take the flow out of the game or are completely unnecessary. Not to mention some nasty, edgy comments and the oversexed robots. Developer Mundfish could have limited the size better, because behind the multitude of disappointing elements lies a fantastic game.

Despite being light on The Legend of Zelda in favor of being not much more than a Dynasty Warriors reskin, Hyrule Warriors still manages to be perhaps the most accessible, charming and exciting entry in the Musou franchise. Zelda fans will drown in its nostalgic presentation and rocking rearrangement of beloved theme songs, while getting the chance to experience how riveting the action-packed gameplay of the Warriors games can truly be.

The Crew Motorfest is still not a real competitor for Forza Horizon, but in itself it is an entertaining open world racing game that plays well. Hopefully in a possible next part it can finally skip those ancient consoles and then go all out with switching between vehicles during events, then The Crew will have an attractive face of its own.

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.

EA Sports FC 24 is secretly just Fifa 23.5. With the same advantages and the same problems. It all looks a bit more dignified and mature, but the new, chic costume cannot disguise the fact that EA Sports FC 24 is a shady players' agent who wants to get as much money out of your pocket as possible with as little effort as possible.

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.

A fleshed out premium platformer without nasty in-app purchases with great boss battles and well built puzzles. [Sept. 2015, p. 066]

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.

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.

The Crown Tundra is a little inconsistent, but the sheer amount of content and the delightful tundra itself make for Game Freaks best open world experience yet. Also, the many legendary Pokémon and the cooperative Dynamax Adventures give Sword and Shield some welcome new endgame experiences.

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.

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.

Hohokum is a perfect blend of low-impact gameplay, adorable visuals and a great soundtrack. The only downsides are some of the harder puzzles towards the end, but those frustrations are easy to overcome if you give Hohokum the time it deserves.

Kay Vess is a perfect starting point for a unique story in the Star Wars universe. Unfortunately, after the starting shot, originality is hard to find and the game stumbles over its many contradictions and a large dose of repetition. Ironically, what makes Star Wars Outlaws fun is shamelessly but well stolen from other games. Together with a few bright spots, this keeps Kay and Nix's spaceship in the air, but it will never become a real high flyer.

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.

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.

If you're a fan of arcade racers, Hot Wheel Unleashed is a fun game for a rainy weekend. However, the game has little to do with the basics of Hot Wheels. Collecting the coolest cars is also hell because of the available Blind Boxes.

The great content of the Aftermath DLC shouldn't distract you from its hefty price tag. Even though I've rarely enjoyed a Mortal Kombat story as much and the new fighters and stages are a delight for (old) fans, the price tag of 40 euros for just the DLC alone feels like the toughest of brutalities.

Anyone with an unbridled love for the virtual farming, horticulture and animal husbandry of the Farming Simulator series will love this latest installment. The inclusion of virtually all major agricultural brands, combined with all available crops and animals, as well as superb graphics and sound design, provide an authentic farming experience that has clearly been crafted with great care and love. Please note that you are dealing with an in-depth simulation of farm life here. You have to figure out every function of a machine if you want to use it effectively and that feels, for the agricultural layman that I am, all just a bit too hardcore.

In the last few chapters The Evil Within finally becomes what it was set out to be: a disturbingly creepy, challenging survival horror game. But in the 10+ hours before that it's too often a frustratingly unfair, aimless mess, in which the technical issues and the old-fashioned development-tropes are not only an eyesore, but a nuisance as well. Survival horror? More like Trial & 'Terror'.​

House Flipper 2 is mainly a refinement compared to the first part. Not much has changed in terms of gameplay and some more content in the form of more furniture could be added. Still, that doesn't spoil the fun. The enormous freedom and extra polish make this a pleasant and creative experience.

You won't miss anything spectacular when you skip NFS: Hot Pursuit, but if you're having extremely warm feelings for the original from 2010 and can't get enough of the traditional cat-and-mouse-game between the cops and racers, then this game is still the bomb, especially in the multiplayer.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is one of those rare sequels like DOOM 2, Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metroid Prime 2 that seems identical to its predecessor, but manages to be a different beast entirely. It’s harder, more story-driven and even more subversive, and seems to specifically made to destroy the expectations of those who have mastered the first game. It might not be as pure and focused as Hotline Miami 1, but it’s everything we wanted from a sequel and way, way more.

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.

Not every game benefits from having more content, Evoland 2 is a prime example of that. The concept remains fun and you get a ton of RPG for a small price but Evoland 2 doesn’t measure up to the first entry. [Oct. 2015, p.051]

2015 was a great year for big open world games and Just Cause 3 is the cherry on top of that cake. JC3 isn’t groundbreaking or revolutionary but it’s super enjoyable, pretty and huge. (Both console versions are plagued by technical issues.)

In terms of gameplay, Trackmania builds on the precise arcade action that the franchise is known for. However, the total package is (still) somewhat limited, which also applies to the graphics.

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.

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]

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.

The good news is that both Alex the Action-fan, Susan the Stealth-lover and Gareth the Graphics-geek are going to enjoy Dying Light. The bad news is that Steven the Story-freak won’t be joining them.

Peach takes the lead role and proves herself in a unique and idiosyncratic setting. Show time! is a refreshing addition to the Nintendo games lineup.

Metro: Awakening is what happens when a now proven professional VR studio gets involved with triple-A game series. It delivers a truly next-level experience that is indispensable for Metro fans and VR enthusiasts who want to experience the tension and oppression of the legendary rotten post-apocalyptic metro system. More VR games of this caliber, please!

I had sky-high expectations for Cities: Skylines 2, and they were largely met. The larger scale, satisfying progression system, more realistic cities, improved AI and an extremely well-reformed road system have me completely hooked by this game. Unfortunately, there are also some negatives, which fortunately did not hinder my enjoyment. This will definitely be a regular on my PC for the next five years.

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.

Minecraft Dungeons is incredibly accessible and offers a - to a certain degree - fun challenge for experienced gamers. The game is fairly short and here and there a little shallow, but find a co-op buddy and you’ll guaranteed have a great time.

Outriders semi-bravely attempts to be more than just another third-person shooter, but fails to be more interesting than the many other games it resembles. Borderlands 3 for example is a better looter shooter, Destiny 2 offers a more solid (super)powered trip, Deep Rock Galactic is more fun as a co-op experience and Gears 5’s singleplayer campaign is far more fascinating. This means Outriders is hard to recommend, except of course to those who have Game Pass and a some hours of free time to spare.

Mafia: The Old Country is narrative-driven, short, and linear. That was exactly what I needed at the time, and it’s nice that the atmosphere, setting, and story are up to the standard you expect from a Mafia game. Unfortunately, the shooting mechanics are mediocre and become very repetitive in the end. Fighting, racing, and sneaking are rarely genuinely enjoyable either. At times, I really enjoyed this game, but I was just as often bored.

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.

Lego 2K Drive combines aspects of popular arcade racers like Forza Horizon and Mario Kart, but never does it to the same level of those competition. However, thanks to creative and varied level design, typical Lego humor, stable performance and an almost bug-free experience, this is a very worthy racing game for young and old.

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]

On the one hand, 2: Heart of Chornobyl offers exactly what I was hoping for: delicious Eurojank. Newcomers will find an old-fashioned RPG with a beautiful world and a nice survival gameplay loop, and unfortunately also stupid AI, a lot of graphical problems and extremely frustrating bugs. It is impressive that the developer is able to release the game under these circumstances, but it will not become more than a cult hit in this form.

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.

With a reasonable campaign, a great multiplayer mode and a good but scanty Zombies mode, Call of Duty: Vanguard is a nice new part. Whether that is enough is something you know best.

The latest installment of the Ninja Storm franchise has a truly wonderful multiplayer mode. The battles that used to be unbalanced and somewhat chaotic have improved significantly in Revolution. It's just a shame that the single player pales in comparison. Ninja's where invented to fight, not to perform menial tasks around a village... So make sure you have at least one friend to have a blast playing this game with.

Rayman Adventures is a funny free snack that looks and sounds beautiful, but also one that makes you long for a real successor to Rayman Origins and Rayman Legends. [feb. 2016 / page 065]

Wild Run still has some of the same pitfalls The Crew did, but it finally runs smoothly. The technical parts of the game have been improved, and on top of that there’s an abundance of cool new events and other content. [jan. 2016 / page 084]

This is quite a good Zelda, especially if you like to team up with other players. If that isn’t exactly your thing, you’d better skip this one. [Sept. 2015, p. 068]

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl offer exactly what you expect, sometimes a bit disappointing, but still oh so nice.

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.

Dead Island 2 improves on its illustrious predecessors in almost every way, while retaining strong points such as atmosphere, setting and gameplay loop. The fact that the game sees the light in this state after almost ten years of trouble-ridden pregnancy is only inferior in wonder to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.

As a fully fledged action RPG, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a entirely unbalanced product: the action and cutscenes are way better than all typical roleplay elements and open world conventions. But in a strange, cute way it adds to the authenticity of the whole Dragon Ball Z experience.

Double Fine clearly had huge plans for Massive Chalice but unfortunately not all areas received as much love and care as the bigger picture, causing certain other areas to feel a bit lackluster and thin. [Aug 2015, p.081]

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl offer exactly what you expect, sometimes a bit disappointing, but still oh so nice.

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.

Unfortunately First Light does not bring inFamous to a higher level, but it is entertaining nonetheless. The story and the characters in the game are not really great, but the gameplay in the new Battle Arena makes up for it. First Light is alright, just not fantastic.

Mario Strikers is - despite its so-called 'keraaazy' gameplay - one of the most generic, lightweight footies ever.

Battlefront is more arcade-y than we’ve come to expect from modern day shooters, but the glorious Star Wars magic makes up for its lack of depth. The game is extremely polished, runs as smooth as Hoth’s snowy surface and will warm the hearts of every Star Wars fan out there. However, Battlefront won’t convert you to the light side if you’re not already a fan of Lucas’ space opera.

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'.

Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a great party game that will surely give you a few evenings of fun. The minigames, although few, are all fun to play, especially in multiplayer mode. Unfortunately, the lack of content means that the cracking sessions for your brain do not last long and the button controls are a major obstacle.

The gameplay is solid as a rock; super intense, exciting and porn for the tactical shooter fan. But the game quickly loses its power when you stray among the other game modes, which are limited and lacking good AI. This is what they call: too little content for too much money. [Dec. 2015, p.054]

You can now say that The Dark Pictures Anthology offers a constant quality, where predictability is largely prevented by enough variety in setting and type of monsters. Unfortunately, the trick of five protagonists and player choices that determine the course of the story is starting to become somewhat transparent, so don't expect plot twists that will blow you off your seat.

The Siege of Paris does what it's supposed to do, nothing more, nothing less. It gives fans an extra fifteen hours of gameplay and an excellently told story to a familiar, robust, just not-routine gameplay experience.