Apart from a few minor points, it is an absolute winner.

Octopath Traveler 0 is an unparalleled role-playing game about trauma, loss, and rebuilding. This is the best JRPG in years—and it's also an excellent cozy game.

Yes, Persona 3 Reload is missing some content, but it more than makes up for it with the new additions and improvements, especially to Tartarus. And the beautiful presentation, voice acting and equally unforgettable characters are also reasons enough to pull the trigger.

The massive open game world isn't the earth-shattering innovation we expected from FromSoftware, but thankfully the Dark Souls foundation it's built over is just as strong and addictive as we've come to expect from the studio. It's the seventh piece of evidence that no one really does boss fights and epics as well as Hidetaka Miyazaki.

God of War Ragnarök is perhaps neither technically nor in terms of gameplay the giant leap forward from the previous part that we had hoped for. But it is a fantastic, grand and compelling adventure that is impossible to put down; nothing short of essential for players of the 2018 game.

Scorn is a filthy game, especially thanks to the sick design that you both loathe and respect at the same time. It contains unique puzzles, an atmosphere that will give you the creeps and it might even make you nauseous, even after adjusting the video settings to your liking.

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.

Toby Fox manages to create a layered story with unique game mechanics with the first four Chapters of Deltarune. Even with half a story, this already forms a unique celebration of the game medium.

If you search long and hard, you can name ten things that are not good about Cyberpunk 2077. But this game offers ninety good things in return. The fact that I absolutely want to go for a second, totally different playthrough and a hopefully "better" ending is just one of them. This is a textbook example of how different ambitious elements have been assembled into one well-oiled Ghost in the Shell machine, including soul. It's that The Last of Us: Part 2 left such an impression that Cyberpunk 2077 isn't lonely at my personal top of the year.

Her Story is one of those games that makes you wonder why it took so long for someone to actually make it. A unique experience that’s bound to keep you thinking for days after you’ve finished it.

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition on the Switch 2 can rightly be called the most complete edition of the game. Okay, visually it's not comparable to playing the game on a PlayStation 5 Pro, but those who don't obsess over graphics will get a game with multiple control options and the ability to play it in handheld form at a fine resolution.

The Plucky Squire does a lot of things right. It pairs a delightful animation style and fun game mechanics with childlike wonder and a set of life lessons that, while not subtle, are well delivered. However, the most remarkable achievement is not found in a review, but somewhere in my heart. With each 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, if only for a moment.

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.

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 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.

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.

Mario Kart World proves that clever innovation not only keeps a classic franchise alive, but also prepares it for the future. The open game world full of surprises and personal choices gives the classic Mario Kart feeling new strength and a fresh, daring twist.

Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition is the best dungeon crawler in recent history. It looks great, it plays smoothly and it’s filled to the brim with content. This is truly the ultimate version of Diablo III. [Aug 2014, p.61]

There are few open world games in which you can move so easily from one adventure to another, but Capcom does it by cleverly bringing together all kinds of well-known gameplay systems. Dragon's Dogma 2 offers fantastic combat and a wonderful sense of discovery, and above all a series of unforgettable moments.

Super Mario Maker is the most accessible and fun to use level editor yet and there’s more than enough to do if you’re not the creative type.

Nathan Drake breathes Adventure with a capital ‘A’. That’s why the collection is a must-have for anyone who’s never played the original games before. A godly trio on just one disc. [Sept. 2015, p. 064]

Diablo 2: Resurrected is made for Diablo 2 veterans and is proud of it. Being one of those veterans, I can't predict how a modern audience will react to this idiosyncratic arpg, but I can say that in my eyes this is the perfect remaster (and not a remake). Hell has never felt like such a warm bath.

Because a few fine features from XCOM: Enemy Unknown/Within didn’t make the cut, and other adjustments make the gameplay different, but not necessarily better, XCOM 2 isn’t the best sequel ever. Nonetheless it offers ridiculously addictive and extremely exciting turn-based tactics, which is unequaled even though the genre is becoming more and more popular lately. Accept no substitutes.

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

FFVII Remake has some rough edges, but is generally the ultimate nerdgasm for FFVII fans and a cool new Final Fantasy game for newcomers who have never played the original. Square has made the impossible possible and not only made my ultimate fantasy come true, but made it even more beautiful than I would have dreamed.

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.

Life is Strange is our sleeper hit of the year. A new benchmark for the adventure genre and a must play for everyone that enjoys a good detective story. [dec. 2015 / page 067]

Pentiment is an unconventional masterpiece. Those who embrace the game - despite its slow start - will be presented with a compelling story with absolute world-class writing and a touch of humor. The game grabs you by the throat and won't let go until the credits roll across the screen.