A necessary refresh of the series after Rebirth and a very good purchase for horror game fans.

Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is not original and could be a little more challenging, but the honesty by which adheres to its core tenets (simplicity, tight controls, and balls to the wall action) will not go unnoticed by anyone over thirty.

Very strong writing, a terrific sense of small town supernatural mystery and believable characters make Life Is Strange a most compelling interactive movie. Echoes of Twin Peaks and Alan Wake resonate throughout and if you've ever been a freshman outsider at 18, you will find plenty of yourself in young Max Caulfield's journey to the unknown. Highly recommended.

Dying Light 2: Stay Human is a game that successfully manages to marry all the cliches of open world/zombie games in a highly attractive and complete title. The open-world market may have been saturated for years now, but it's hard to see a similar title being released this year that's more fun than Dying Light 2. And I think that's what counts in the end.

ESO: Morrowind is a fantastic addition to the base game, including exceptional writing in quests, a new class and PvP battlegrounds. Despite some minor issues, the game is worth your time.

A solid, confident narrative, truly worthy of the "Nordic Noir" mantle. Whispers of a Machine convincingly puts players in charge of a police investigation in the technological post-apocalypse. The quality of the writing and puzzles are guaranteed to delight genre fans.

Via this new expansion pack, Baldur's Gate awakens after many years in hibernation. Even though it will not prove so sensational in the current era of kickstarted RPGs, it still succeeds in finding its place among contemporary epics, such as Pillars of Eternity and Divinity: Original Sin. Siege of Dragonspear may be a bit late to the party and not flawless, nonetheless it's a faithful installment in the series.

In addition to the important changes introduced with its accompanying 3.0 patch, Nemesis finally adds substantial end-game content to Stellaris, with scenarios that allow us to conquer the galaxy, save it from tyranny, or completely destroy it in a most spectacular way.

The Long Dark’s long-awaited story mode, ultimately fails to stand on its own. It rather serves as a tutorial for an extremely robust, utterly unforgiving and uncomfortably realistic extreme winter conditions survival simulator game, that transcends Unity’s limitations to deliver a unique experience aimed at a very narrow and specific audience. Future episodes may tweak the story mode into a cohesive entity that can stand on its own, but in its current state, the Long Dark is aimed exclusively at the hardcore survival enthusiast.

Solasta is a love-letter to Dungeons and Dragons, offering the best implementation of the 5E ruleset (via SRD5.1) to-date, period. It may feature a linear, uncomplicated story, but it makes up for it by being lukewarm and a special nod to all D&D veterans. We fell in love with the slick design of UI that can claim to be the best/easiest tutorial of D&D combat out there. Considering the budget and scope, Solasta delivers 100%.

Tails of Iron II: Whiskers of Winter retains its strong suites (impeccable presentation, satisfying combat) from its predecessor, but the simplistic quest design and, especially, the rote exploration have room for improvement and are holding it back from reaching its true potential.

If we had to rate FIFA 23 as a single release, it would definitely score high for all that it has accomplished and offered this year. But on the other hand, if one also owns last year's version and one's involvement with the series is casual and purely for light entertainment, there is no reason to invest in this year's version.

Having a subtractive design at its core, Blasphemous doesn't fiddle with the tried-and-true Metroidvania formula. Instead, it keeps things simple and grabs the player's attention with its despondent imagery and its riveting atmosphere and world building.

TIAOVH2 is hands down the best single-player action-RPG out there, with engaging gameplay full of discrete doses of witty humour. It shines for catering for the casual player while offering exhaustively deep gameplay elements for the hardcore player at the same time. A few optimization hiccups deprive the game of an almost perfect grade, yet I cannot wait to see the third installment of the series.

Orwell is a very well-written story about the age of surveillance. Our age. But its focus isn’t only to tell that story, it’s also is you, your ethics and your stance on the eternal question of safety vs privacy and freedom.

Child of Light is one of the most attractive, beautiful and atmospheric games I have played in recent years. The fairytale script is good enough to travel you back to your childhood, filling you with nostalgia, the art direction can leave you speechless, as well as the amazing soundtrack. If you are willing to ignore the low difficult level, you will enjoy one of the most honest and full of soul games ever. However, if challenge is what you seek, then it is better to look somewhere else.

Featuring extraordinary writing and the rare ability to completely invest the player into its characters, Telltale's Game Of Thrones stands amongst and actually surpasses the famed TV series' best moments. A high watermark for interactive storytelling and one of the most emotionally resonant experiences you're bound to have with a video game this year.

Watch Dogs is an interesting open-world game, featuring some smart ideas (such as hacking), but in no way does it change the map of the gaming industry. The previously tested and successful gameplay mechanisms that it uses provide a significant amount of fun, similar to what great efforts of the past delivered (such as Sleeping Dogs) minus a remarkable script.

Perhaps it was a bit unexpected, but Darksiders Genesis is more than a decent game, honoring the name of the long-time series. Featuring remarkable graphics and an amazing soundtrack, the new installment can provide you in with at least fifteen hours of enjoyable action.

Well balanced with a nice variety of gameplay delivered by the unlockable gadgets. But don't be fooled by its charming presentation. Stealth Inc. 2 becomes brutally difficult early in the game and will either satisfy your platforming cravings or drive you insane in the process.

If you had a good time playing the two previous Tomb Raider games, the same will happen with Shadow of the Tomb Raider. However, its issues with respect to story, characters and the unbalanced gameplay structure show a lack of solid vision on how the trilogy would be implemented, which in no way ends satisfactorily.

Ghostwire: Tokyo doesn't have any major flaws that would make it a huge disappointment. It may not fascinate with its gameplay and repetitive action, but thanks to its excellent atmosphere, impressive realization of Japanese lore, and sometimes entertaining combat, it manages to outperform the average with ease.

Tindalos Interactive’s capital ship combat RTS provides a mix of deep, tactical gameplay and epic Warhammer 40K atmosphere. It misses on a “classic” status because of repetition in mission types and maps during the game’s lengthy campaign but it is still highly recommended for fans of the genre.

Well-written dialogue and central plot, clever cases to be investigated, equally clever humorous touches balanced by some genuinely dark elements, extensive customization of the difficulty to prevent any notion of hand-holding, always coupled with the gorgeous isle of Cordona and touches of familiar Sherlock lore. Regardless of the genre one chooses to place it in, Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is a really good, perhaps even excellent game.

Strangeland is a remarkably interesting game for the fans of classic point 'n' click adventures. Undoubtedly, its short duration, combined with the relatively low difficulty of the puzzles and the somehow abstract ending, will probably make you doubt whether it is worth buying. But if you decide positively, be sure that this nightmarish journey will be unforgettable.

Slightly or greatly improved in most areas, still lacking in a few others when compared to Warband and its essential mods, Bannerlord is an altogether updated version of the Mount & Blade series' addictive gameplay and the undisputed king of Sandbox RPGs.

An interesting XCOM spin-off with a few new ideas and great value for money. The writing and a few bugs let the game down a bit but as a whole it is a great appetizer for the eventual XCOM 3.

An exceptional and stunningly beautiful open-world action game, with incredibly rich gameplay and a pleasantly old-fashioned level of difficulty, regardless of its potentially frustrating flaws.

Tales of Zestiria is an absolutely fine JRPG for its target audience. However, if you are not accustomed to this particular genre, you will find hardly anything to grab your attention.

For all practical intents and purposes, this is L.A. Noire’s pocket sized, train-hoppin’, indie tramp cousin. Featuring highly stylized visuals and a soundtrack to match, Phyllis Malone’s investigation in the dark underbelly of 1924 San Francisco may be short but will leave detective mystery fans with a very warm aftertaste, much like the finest bootlegged liquor.

Avowed is not the deepest RPG of our generation, nor a game that will be remembered for its world-changing influence on the medium. Nevertheless, and despite its shortcomings, its gameplay doesn't fail to provide satisfying moments of entertainment.

Kathy Rain is a really exciting point 'n' click adventure that every fan of eerie and dark adventures should play, even if it is hard for some to swallow the pill of the AGS engine.

Resident Evil 3 retells the story of Jill's desperate escape from the doomed Raccoon City, using an intriguing plot and more fleshed out characters than the original. It falls short of the sheer amount of content its predecessors had, but it excels in moment to moment gameplay which it delivers in spades.

The word "Evolve" couldn't be more fitting for the newest title of Turtle Rock. A very interesting co-op experience with a competitive twist that makes every match unique. Despite the business model that has been chosen for it, Evolve is well worth the anticipation and hype surrounding it. Turtle Rock has a firm base for its latest child to "evolve" upon.

A fun and addictive beat 'em up, that aptly combines the simple gameplay of the classic titles of the genre with a modern approach. Shame about the lack of on-line co-op.

An atmospheric tour of the 12 Colonies of Kobol, before the Fall, during the first Cylon War, that happens to be a fun tactical strategy simulator as well.

Little Big Workshop makes a Henry Ford out of you, requiring of you to plan and execute complex products while also handling machinery issues and your workforce. The stage for this labor drama is set on a tabletop providing comic relief and an authentic aesthetic. You get plenty of hours planning and enjoying the fruits of your intellectual labor for a very nice price.

A beautiful but uneven Star Wars game, with inspired moments but also with shortcomings and design flaws that break the immersion and prevent it from truly making a mark as one of the most memorable open-world games out there.

If we ever got the C&C game we so much deserve, Grey Goo would be it. By using its roots as a base to build upon, Petroglyph created a very solid piece of RTS history. A must, especially for fans of Westwood's work.

Whether you're a fan of the old X-COM/UFO games and you were not covered by the streamlined version of Firaxis either you adored the recent XCOM: EU and you are looking for something in the same style, but with more gameplay depth, then Xenonauts must go directly to your "to-buy-list".

Beautiful presentation, sharp writing, a delightful musical score and challenging gameplay all add up to making Aviary Attorney one of the most pleasant indie gaming surprises of the year.

The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters isn't a particularly challenging experience and most of its story events unfold in a predictable way. Nevertheless, it has some really unnerving moments and it's a worthy sequel, improving upon every single aspect of its predecessor.

Quality work by Neocore Games and a title that offers dozens of hours of addictive gameplay. Clearly recommended for fans of the genre.

In spite of some shortcomings, Remothered: Tormented Fathers managed to take me on a short trip to an era, where horror games were a terrifying experience, with a notable effort put into aesthetics and atmosphere. As the first entry in a planned trilogy it's a worthwhile attempt, it has however some room for improvement. The foundations are solid and I will definitely be keeping an eye on the following installments.

Unfortunately, DoW3 aims high and shoots low. Although its single-player campaign is sufficient enough, at its multiplayer aspect the game looks like an awkward cross-genre hybrid which tries to combine too many elements and fails to find a distinct identity of its own. Many simplifications away from Relic’s previous titles (eg. cover system) only make matters worse. A good enough game, which does not live up to the expectations of its name or its predecessors’ past.

A successful sequel that doesn't innovate but clearly improves on the previous game.

Spintires: Mudrunner is a soviet saga regarding man’s struggle to tame and traverse the wild nature. Hubris and failure to read the muddy roads result in disaster, only to overcome it as well, as the very essence of the game is to enjoy those failures, gameplay-wise.

Successful application of the Disco Elysium recipe in an atmospheric setting. The story's conclusion should have been less rushed and more cohesive to provide a more complete experience.

Star Renegades is an addictive roguelite with a deep combat system, well-paced progression and satisfyingly punishing enemies. It could use some more variety and content but it is a very solid purchase if you are up to the challenge.

Double Fine Productions delivers once again, with a solid remaster that stays faithful to the spirit and style of the original game.

Whilst the writing and voice acting remain top-notch, the complete illusion of player choice and the increasingly thinly veiled attempts to conceal it, make Game of Thrones feel more like a spin-off series of the acclaimed TV show, than an actual interactive movie set in Westeros. In order to achieve it's full dramatic impact, the conclusion of the series should offer substantially differentiated outcomes based on player choice, otherwise it is doomed to lose momentum with each episode.

Crafted with pure love and soul and aimed with deadly precision at the heart of every thirtysomething who grew up on Blyton, Pratchett, Addams, Lovecraft and Poe, The Darkside Detective, with its’ sublime synth soundtrack and razor sharp wit, is an absolute treat for anyone who had the good fortune of growing up in the 80’s and 90’s. Miss at your own peril.

Souldiers manages to marry the chibi aesthetic with challenging gameplay and an interesting combat system. Some minor mishaps in handling and pacing detract from the overall experience, but it's still an honest solution.

Re-touched 2D graphics, new exciting and hilarious weapons, buildings, crafting and vehicles. Worms W.M.D. is the Worms we've always wished for ever since we played the games of old. This time, Team17 nailed it and we hope they won't settle on the success and continue to deliver exciting new content to enrich the Worm-pocalypse.

Despite a complete lack of competition, Total Mayhem Games delivers a successful and satisfying sequel to the We Were Here series. It's worth a try for all fans of the genre, no matter how alien the idea of an online co-op adventure game may seem to them.

Rogue City is perhaps the best RoboCop game that could be made, and in many ways echoes the legendary films on which it's based: it may not be particularly complex in terms of writing, it may be slightly to very unpolished in places, but no one can deny that it's full of heart and soul.

It's visually better, richer in content and more comprehensive in terms of gameplay compared to its predecessor. It will definitely make you spend time with it until the arrival of MK XI.

One of the best Single-Player segments we've seen in a Call of Duty game, combined with rather lacking Multiplayer, comprise a title that goes in with guns blazing but ultimately falls short.

Somber, emotional, and allegoric, Inmost is more than the sum of its parts and a memorable experience, in spite of its short duration.

It's like meeting an old friend again after years. You know and acknowledge his quirks, but at the same time you enjoy his company.

A highly stylized game with the intent to look pretty. However, all this glaze seems too superficial and 2K Sports seemed to prioritize the incorporation of micro-transactions instead of meaningful improvements and bug polishing. The best basketball sim is still enjoyable and the best out there but 2K Sports need to pick up their game and not become complacent.

A really good game that unfortunately has launched in an unpolished state. If the issues get corrected, buy it without hesitation.

An incredibly atmospheric 2D action/platform game with top-notch immersion but rather unremarkable gameplay.

Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is a sublime choice for anyone who wants a further dose of the last year's game, even though it does not reach such high levels of quality.

With graphics that have almost nothing to envy from bigger budget productions, a sufficiently deep and vindictively compelling gameplay that keeps the interest high even for more than one New Game +, Mortal Shell is a great example of a qualitative souls-like game that does not come from the hands of From Software.

For Honor’s peer-to-peer networking woes do it great injustice, for it is, in its core, a truly unique game that provides us with a competitive multiplayer experience no other game can claim to offer.

Beautiful Desolation is a idiosyncratic, multi-themed journey, bringing some interesting gameplay ideas to the table. Its story and distinct setting are its strongest assets and it will definitely take you places. Be aware though, there is no hand holding at all. You'll need to pay attention to the conversations with the cast of delightfully bizarre characters you meet, if you don't want to backtrack and fumble for clues constantly.

An absolute must-buy for fans of Philip K. Dick and Arthur Clarke, The Fall is a prime example of a perfect storm of a game. Coming out of left field with zero hype, it banks on rock solid game mechanics and incredible art direction/voice overs, to carry a poignant story that will stay with players long after the end credits have rolled.

A masterful coming-together of all plot threads explored in the series so far, Dark Room is an intense ride into the deepest, darkest secrets of Arcadia Bay.

Weird West is a worthy first effort from WolfEye studios. With a little more thoughtful combat system and more voice-over it would hit the top. Fans of RPGs with immersive sims and those of the Wild West should definitely check it out.

Chariot is a very nice platform game and especially in co-op mode, it really shines, making it a first class choice for anyone who wants a worthy and challenging experience that will keep him busy for more than ten hours.

Episode Two continues in the same vein as the first, at the same time ramping up the tension and the survival horror elements. An all around more solid offering.

Horizon Chase Turbo is a decent arcade racing game, which knows exactly to which target group is focusing. If you feel that you belong to this target group, then you should give it a chance, hands-down.

A faithful remake of the original trilogy, seen for the first time on PCs. Original late 90’s gameplay in a modern and aesthetically pleasing realization, with welcome additions like the timed challenges for all three titles. A remake done right and the best version of the game across all platforms.

The Veilguard has some fun combat and exploration mechanics, but in no way do they redeem a sterilized, safe, inoffensive, fully "Netflix" and badly written version of a dark fantasy world that has little to do with the series' past.

It won’t mesmerize people who did not like its predecessors. It may even not satisfy all those who enjoyed the previous three Deponia games. Essentially it’s a love letter to the sworn followers of the saga, who won’t refuse to participate in yet another adventure of Rufus.

One might feel a bit "bummed out" by the episodic nature of the expansion (with Part II expected to come out in the winter, no less), but the fact remains that The White March - Part I is an excellent addition all-in-all, providing us with quality content that expands on what we already loved about the core game.

One can't help but feel awe when considering Warhorse Studios' attention to historical detail in recreating 15th century Bohemia. Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a truly unique and memorable experience from start to finish, but its hardcore mechanics (that sometimes border on pure LARPing) make it a game that is certainly not for everyone.

Playstation Studios' second PC release is a quality open-world action game that does most things at a very competent level but doesn't quite have the new ideas and spark needed to push it to true greatness. Nevertheless, Days Gone is well worth the money if you hunger for tens of hours of open-world fun.

Surviving Mars manages to capture the poetry of K.S. Robinson's Red Mars, while also introducing new ideas and inspiration to the city building sim genre. There are some unpolished edges and missing menus but as a whole it is a relaxing and creative sim that has a lot of potential.

In "Brave New World" we manage to get a real glimpse of the unique and magical relationship that Chloe and Rachel shared. These two characters are fleshed out exceptionally, but the episode faces pacing and directional issues, only saved by the emotionally charged finale.

Cronos: The New Dawn is a very good choice for the survival horror genre fans. Its old-fashioned mechanics may discourage some players, while certain elements could definitely be improved, such as the scriptwriting, the puzzles, and some technical issues. Nevertheless, the work has been done satisfactorily, and we await Bloober Team's next step with great interest.

Life Is Strange's writing, atmosphere and sense of place have a direct line to the heart and soul of anyone who ever grew up in a small, sleepy, yet mystical town, went out into the big wide world to study and then came back to the only kind of magic that really exists in this world. Top notch writing, voice acting and stylistic framing make Life Is Strange one of the most compelling interactive movies of its generation.

If someone owns Metro: Last Light, there's absolutely no reason to buy the Redux version. Graphically its the very same game, while the DLC content and the Survival/Spartan mode are not enough to justify this new release and the 20 euros price, even with the differentiation the later offers to the gameplay. On the other hand, whoever hasn't played the original game yet, has another good reason to do it now.

Atomic Heart is a game that is by no means the masterpiece we probably hoped for, but it's a worthwhile title that will provide guaranteed entertainment for the 16-17 hours or so it lasts and leaves a serious legacy for an even higher quality sequel.

Distraint’s terror comes from the simplest, most eerily familiar source of them all: our inner, survival-wired, do-whatever-it-takes, petty self. In its two short hours, this inspired little indie adventure will ask you some very tough questions. And you may not like your answers.

Furi is a fine example of intelligent game design, which brings back the "skill" factor, contrary to the today's hand-holding games. Furi requires your full attention in order to watch the end credits and for sure you will not regret the ride.

Simon the Sorcerer: Origins is an adventure game aimed primarily at fans of adventure games and the series in general, and we would not recommend it to someone new to the genre, due to the way the puzzles are implemented. It will not change Simon's status in the adventure world, but it is a fine addition to the series, which respects the material it is called upon to manage.

Forgotton Anne is, without a doubt, a wonderful adventure, with a story and exquisitely animated characters that put the player in a pensive mood, while the puzzles and platforming bring the desired alternation between storytelling and action. I believe, however, that the game would have benefited a lot from a higher gameplay difficulty and more tough/grey morality choices, elevating it to an all-time classic status.

The stunning graphics and the exceptional music, as well as voice overs, are not enough for a game that lacks appropriate optimization and a satisfactory interpretation of the events we tail after, packed in no longer than 5 hours. A very promising narrative experience that proves inadequate in many key areas.

While it's a shame that the PC users are treated as second class citizens, KONAMI after many missed years, finally delivered on the gameplay front. With its enhanced AI, the very well implemented collision system and snappy controls, PES 2016 has by far the best gameplay we've ever been graced with from a football game. Let's hope next year's PC installment won't be so much different than its console counter parts.

The Rise of the Necromancer makes a solid attempt to revive a comatose patient. Although the “new” vintage class brings a breath of fresh air and ties organically with the gameplay direction the series has taken, it does not solve the numerous endgame issues of Diablo 3. Fans would enjoy the re-emergence of the priests of Rathma, the rest will most definitely find other games of the genre to be more enjoyable.

A grim, depressing noir story about Chickens and Insects that you wish would never end.

Episode 2 keeps well the charming noir atmosphere of the first episode, adds up an improved plot and some nice dialogues, but a longer duration and tougher puzzles would be much appreciated.

With a very satisfyingly long runtime, excellent, challenging puzzles designed for hardcore adventure game players and it's inimitable mood, atmosphere and graphic presentation, the Dream Machine is only held back from "instant classic" status by it's lack of recorded voice-overs. Everything else in this surreal odyssey of the mind is simply top notch and guaranteed to find a place in the hearts of true adventure gamers everywhere.

If there's one thing Rematch is really missing, it's content, so in a way we'd say it's still in an Early Access status. However, in functional terms it's complete, so even in its current state, the game is still pretty decent, and for those looking for a well-made and challenging PvP game, with potential to get even better in the future, Rematch is a good choice.

Another great installment in the Borderlands franchise, the Pre Sequel takes things to the next level with a fantastic story, great characters and new innovative gameplay, which will make you jump for joy...Quite literally.

Outlast 2 has a sinister, foreboding ambience and offers more tension and horrifying moments than its predecessor. There is still some trial and error involved, aggravated by unpredictable enemy A.I. at times and insufficient enemy awareness feedback to the player, but overall this is a game I can wholeheartedly recommend to horror fans.