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.