Victorian gaming’s most adorable nose caricatures are back with a vengeance. The audiovisual presentation is top notch and the wit is razor sharp but a plethora of bugs and a sense of playing through a game that could have benefited from two more months of testing, will keep this from stealing the hearts of new initiates. For veterans of Episode One, it’s satisfaction guaranteed, provided that the technical issues are swiftly eliminated.

Renowned Explorers combines elements from strategy, resource management and role playing games in a remarkable and smooth way. Even though the difficulty level is above average, the game is still considered as an interesting suggestion for anyone who is looking for a nice adventure.

Artifex Mundi flex their point-and-click muscles for the first time, delivering simple riddles and a comical tone in a neat package. While aiming to be satirical with its wonderful art (homage to The Curse of Monkey Island/Deponia games), it does not avoid the pitfall of being too preachy. The latter results in one-dimensional characters who are narrative simplistic vessels to the moral of the story.

The strongest episode in a mini-series that feels much like Fear The Walking Dead. It will tide over hardcore fans but ultimately, despite its top notch production values, it fails to create the palpable tension and soul-clenching misery that is the franchise’s hallmark.

Styx: Shards of Darkness, while a solid stealth game, does not dare travel off the beaten path. Having said that, fans of the genre should definitely check it out.

Kaze and the Wild Masks draws heavy inspirations from 90's platform games and especially the Donkey Kong Country trilogy. Even though it does not capture that same feeling of bliss its romping simian predecessors have, it is still a fun title to play if you are a fan of the genre.

The Preposterous Awesomeness of Everything may at times be too pleased with its eviscerating critique of Western civilization but this does not change the fact that this short, albeit inspired adventure game packs essential truths of life in its two hours. Ideal drinking companion for malcontents, loners and assorted Enemies of the Majority.

VirtuaVerse tries too hard to combine different elements of storytelling in a point-and-click adventure. Although the main character displays contradicting personality traits that do not make any sense, the game makes up for it with a stellar soundtrack and well-designed pixel art, both contributing to the cyberpunk setting vibes.

Chronology is an inspired and decent indie platform / puzzle, but the short duration is something you should consider before the purchase.

Broforce is the absolute tribute to the good old action-hero movies. With lots of guns, blood and explosions, supported by a really large cast of heroes, it delivers a seriously big dose of adrenaline. If you like side-scroller run 'n gun games, Broforce is what you are looking for.

Mordheim: City of the Damned is a turn-based tactical game with very deep battle and team management mechanics. Although it's much more difficult than average, its tutorial is explanatory enough even for the inexperienced player. Some imbalance issues prevent it from being a really great game.

Bury me, my love gives us an inside look of the Syrian refugee crisis that is still ongoing. It does so though the personal story of a couple as told via a messaging app. The PC version is probably not the ideal medium though, as full immersiveness is achieved in the mobile version. A good title for people who have no knowledge of the issues examined.

Battlefront is a solid FPS game, with amazing visuals, which lacks that something extra that will make it shine. It has a good starting audience in the Star Wars fans, but anyone who has invested considerable hours in Battlefield might not find anything which can hold them here.

A remarkable game that has many things to offer for 20+ hours and some optional stuff which remains interesting past that mark. A few tweaks in balancing and randomizing effects would vastly improve it. Even though it can’t compete with The Binding of Isaac in terms of pure addiction and content, it’s adequately competent as far as action roguelike games go.

Episode 3 highlights the collaboration between characters in a better way than its predecessors. Taking under consideration the terrifying atmosphere, it can be easily named as the best episode in the series so far.

South of the Circle, an artistically vibrant narrative-based game, deals with the maladies of the academic milieu amidst the 60's Cold War paranoia. It features a wonderful pastel palette and minimalist style but be forewarned that player input is also kept on the minimal side.

A clever and interesting adventure, whose short duration and relatively low difficulty of its puzzles do not allow it to shine more brightly.

The presentation remains solid throughout and will appeal to newcomers to the franchise but long time fans will find themselves in all-too familiar ground. Telltale needs to turn auto pilot off and focus on advancing the genre it helped re-invent if they wish to remain a relevant studio going forward.

GoW: Ultimate Edition, as a remastered game, is one of the best we have ever seen. As a PC game, it is not the end of the world, but both the limitations of Windows Store and the obvious optimization issues are taking it away from the "must-buy" list.

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

Boasting good puzzles and solid level design, Tormented Souls doesn't break new ground, but it does well what it set out to do. It's not a game I would recommend to everyone since you have to get used to the clunky combat and the lack of guidance and be equipped with enough patience to overcome the initial difficulty barrier.

Voodoo Detective is a remarkable adventure with a unique aesthetic, which could have scored even higher if it had a little more difficult puzzles and a longer duration. However, it does succeed in introducing a likeable new hero to the adventure genre, who may star in even more adventures in the future. After all, he has a debt to Baron.

An idea that does not overstay its welcome, enhanced by a great narrative and truly remarkable art direction. Be on the lookout for future publications by Cavalier Games and Tequila Works.

Some shortcomings and omissions regarding its AI and overall content don't prevent The Precinct from being an excellent throwback to an older gaming era.

The Ascent is a decent and well-crafted twin-stick shooter, especially in co-op mode it can release huge amounts of adrenaline. It may not avoid the flaws and shortcomings that would give it an even higher rating, but if you're looking for an action game that will keep you fully entertained for about fifteen hours, you need look no further.

Once it receives some necessary content updates, it will be yet another quality indie homage to the legendary RPGs of the 90s. Until then, it is mainly recommended for those who are impatiently looking for their next RPG, or for AtomTeam fans who want to support the developers.

A more than welcome return of Double Fine's hallmark sense of twisted humor and absolute cuteness, Costume Quest 2 expands on its combat model, bringing welcome tactical depth to the proceedings, but still not quite escaping end-game repetition fatigue. A strong offering nevertheless, that can very well be my favorite annual gaming tradition, on cuteness factor alone.

If you are looking for a honest and worthwhile combat space-sim that will keep you in the cockpit for several hours, then Eterium will reward you and will make you forget its low-budget origins (simple graphics, monotonous music and complete absence of voice over). Such efforts require our support and we need to congratulate the three guys of Rogue Earth LLC for this result.

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.

The arrival of Maiden of Black Water makes for a major addition to the PC horror games catalogue. The use of the camera in dealing with tortured spirits and the blend of fiction and folklore from Japan is delightful. The slow pace of the plot and repetition of areas, however, make Maiden of Black Water less scary and memorable than we would have liked.

A special blend of Survival and Single-Player RPG gameplay with beautiful graphics and interesting management mechanics, whose rather empty and generic medieval world ends up detracting from the whole experience.

Among the endless ocean of multiplayer twitch shooter games, it was about time we got a slow-paced, tactical FPS where team-work is everything. Well optimized, well balanced and the fact that future maps and operators aren't locked behind a pay-wall but will be accessible to all, make for great value. Here's hoping that Ubisoft will be fast enough to deploy a proper fix for its main aspect though, the netcode, before frustration kicks in.

Despite the ambitious combo of two different kind of games, Deathtrap does not disappoint. In combination with the affordable price, it is highly recommended to fans of both ARPG and Tower Defense.

If you've never played DMC 4 before and its theme draws your attention, the remastered version is an excellent opportunity to get a taste of a demanding game that rewards the player very well as long as he's dealing with it. And then you may cry too.

Impressive remake, not completely true to the original and with some anachronistic gameplay mechanisms, but it remains the best Mafia game of the series.

A perfect example of how one studio can improve a game, based on the players’ remarks, without ruining anything of the elements that worked well on its previous versions. MXGP2 is possibly the best motocross videogame today.

The visual and driving improvements, compared to F1 2014, are more than obvious, but the game still lacks some crucial aspects, such as safety car, smart penalty system and more aggressive and intelligent behaviour for drivers controlled by CPU. Also, all the content and the ideas that Codemasters already has in its hands from previous installments (Career mode, Practice objectives, Classic mode, Diamond races, Champions mode and previous circuits, such as Hockenheim, Valencia, Nurburgring, India, Korea, Instanbul) must make their return in F1 2016.

Even though it would have certainly benefited from being a bit more open-ended as far as its main plot is concerned, Coteries of New York is still a remarkably fun visual novel based on the 5th Edition Vampire Rulebook, that should serve as an adequate appetizer ahead of the "main course" set to arrive in 2020.

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.

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.

The latest CoD game’s Single-Player Campaign could be regarded as a missed opportunity of sorts, mostly opting to stick to established clichés and “wow” moments (with a few notable exceptions) instead of producing something truly unique and memorable. Its Multiplayer modes, on the other hand, are for the most part a welcome throwback to the glory days of “Modern Warfare”.

The Park offers a solid, genuinely unnerving psychological horror experience, akin to watching a well crafted thriller. Whilst it does not break new ground narratively, it will please genre fans.

Despite its short duration, Rise & Shine is a remarkable indie action/shooter. Don't be misled from the beautiful graphics however, since it offers a brutal challenge and surely it is not appropriate for the impatient gamers.

A decent tribute to teenage angst, aimed exclusively at original "Life is Strange" fans. The first episode tries -a bit too hard- to say things that we already knew, about the special bond between Rachel and Chloe. Ultimately it makes us ask ourselves: "Are prequels really necessary to further an already established and excellent story?"

An idea that does not overstay its welcome, enhanced by a great narrative and truly remarkable art direction. Be on the lookout for future publications by Cavalier Games and Tequila Works.

A strong and marked improvement over The Showstopper, Sapienza begins to irrefutably prove Io Interactive’s vision for its episodic release model of the latest incarnation of Hitman. Offering an absolute wealth of possibilities, Sapienza is made to be replayed time and again in order to discover every single one of the creative and imaginative murder methods available.

Scott Whiskers: The Search for the Golden Cat is that it is a fun, improved adventure game, compared to the first, which, again, is not going to thrill (it had a very difficult task this year anyway), but at the same time, no one will feel that they wasted their time playing it.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a fun and easy to play action/platform, that will give you several hours of "pure" entertainment. If the performance issues were missing, things would be even better.

A decent attempt, on par with an episode of television’s “Fear The Walking Dead”, aimed solely at hardcore Robert Kirkman fans. It is high time Telltale re-evaluated it’s golden formula if it wishes to keep the broader gaming public engaged.

Morbid: The Seven Acolytes may not have the deepest gameplay mechanics or thrilling combat, but its meticulous artistry and foreboding sense of dread will keep you engaged throughout its campaign.

High production values and sharp wit, coupled with a surprisingly deep (given the JRPG genre conventions) combat system. Genre fans will rejoice, but the constant fighting alongside the light-hearted story will not appeal to all.

Stylized, with several doses of tactics and familiar battle system, Sunday Gold is an interesting experiment that could achieve more.

The Perils of Man confirms that well chosen and original ideas, as well as stories concerning timeless questions of humanity often result in very interesting adventure games, even if they don't have a high production budget.

Shadow Warrior 3 isn't the next "big" FPS we might have been expecting, but it's a quality work from a team that knows how to deliver a good shooter to its audience. Fans of the genre shouldn't miss it, and for those looking for a strong action-packed "dose", the game is a worthwhile proposition.

Late Shift delivers on its premise. A true interactive movie where player decisions have an impact and meaningfully alter the narrative. The story will not impress genre buffs but it stands head and shoulders above Telltales’ efforts in the field and points to a very viable future for this beloved cult genre.

Oblitus is a unique game. If you seek an easy and relaxed platform game then you should probably look elsewhere. Those, however, who enjoy video games with exploration and challenges, then Oblitus is certainly a little gem to add to your collection.

Oriental Empires is an impressive debut from Shining Pixel Studios. It is apparent that a great deal of work was put into it, especially on aspects like the trade system. It manages to convey a immersive portrayal of centuries long Chinese conflict. The combat system though feels somewhat raw and counter-intuitive for a hex-based TBS, making combat more troublesome than fun on the long run.

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.

The feeling Subject 13 finally leaves is that it meets the expectations of its 647 backers, as well as those of anybody else who has previously played one of Cuisset's games. It may not be the adventure game that will charm the majority of casual gamers, nor the one that mainstream reviewers will appreciate, but it's dedicated to true fans of the genre, due to the smart and difficult enough puzzles it includes. It won't disappoint them.

RIVE is a remarkable shooter/platform hybrid for anyone seeking a fun but very demanding challenge. Before playing, arm yourself with patience, remove fragile items near you, put talcum powder on your hands and... good luck.

If you like roguelike games and the idea of managing a store or even if you want to try something special, away from the ordinary indie games, Moonlighter is a good choice.

State of Decay 2 is enough of an improvement upon the first game of the series so as to appeal to its core fans, but we'll probably have to wait for future DLC in order to see more innovative additions to its gameplay.

The imperative "farming" of levels and the frustratingly sensitive controls deprive Tembo The Badass Elephant from being declared as an instant-classic.

An atmospheric adventure, bolstered by a moody soundtrack and convincing writing and direction. This one was crafted with love for genre fans.

Whilst the expected Telltale polish is ever-present in this short episode, Michonne’s indestructability coupled with the fact that we don’t really get to care about any of the new characters appearing, make this offering something aimed strictly at the Walking Dead’s hardcore fan base.

Essentially an hour-long QTE, offering up the guilty pleasure of slaughtering everything with reckless abandon as the bad-ass, post apocalyptic force of nature that is Michonne. A far shot from what made the original series unforgettable though.

Rock 'n' Roll Will Never Die is an adventure worth trying at some point in your life, especially if you are a rock culture lover. It may not impress with the ingenuity of its puzzles, but its satire of rock music's cliches and misconceptions is so successful that I doubt there will be anyone in the future who does it better.

Simple, plain, and unadorned, Monster Boy IV comes with a time capsule to fill you with feelgood vibes, but that's about it.

Ashen is a decent proposition for Soulslike fans and it may be the ideal choice for someone who wishes to get into the genre before going deeper. Despite the simplicity of its mechanisms and the lack of depth / replayability, it is very enjoyable for both Dark Souls beginners and experts.

A completely fresh idea delivered with a mix of already tested mechanics. The result is an almost perfect game which would have been perfect if it was focused a bit more in enjoyment rather than simulating the exact life of Hominidae.

Huge in length, thoughtful and with a decent story, but with some issues in the writing and the characters that don't allow it to reach the peaks of the genre.

It offers an enjoyable trip to the snowing mountains with 4 different extreme sports to explore and challenges along the way. You can push your limits and become king of the mountain or just enjoy the ride through beautiful landscapes and majestic scenery. It’s not only for the fans, everyone could give it a go.

Despite various shortcomings like lack of polish in combat, some disorientating segments set in three dimensions and a very short duration, it manages to maintain a satisfactory level of quality through its unique world, beautiful, artistic design and pure enjoyment. Woolfe - Red Hood Diaries is a "fair-y" game after all.

A solid deck-building roguelike game that doesn't redefine the genre but still offers lots of hours of quality gameplay.

Its strong points (story and combat system) are more than enough to keep you on your toes for at least 15-16 hours, while the PC version enjoys improved graphics, steady frame rate and a convenient auto-save system. However, Yakuza Kiwami shows its age and we would hardly recommend it as a starting title for newcomers - Yakuza 0 earns that title.

Frogwares delivers a remake that hardly convinces us as the next step after Sherlock Holmes Chapter One. If judged on its own merits, it delivers what it promises without impressing.

Space Hulk: Ascension Edition achieves its goal of enriching last year's effort in terms of gameplay and single player content. It's definitely a worthwhile purchase provided that you are willing to accept some of the game's idiosyncrasies that stem from Space Hulk's board game roots.

Marvel VS Capcom: Infinite's primary goal is for the player to have fun with it, allowing him to do many and fancy things with a little bit of effort, but also has the depth for anyone who decides to look under the hood.

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.

Deathwish Enforcers Special Edition does not tread on new ground and just aspires to be an enjoyable Run 'n' Gun experience. Even though the campaign is short, which is typical for this genre, the local co-op mode and various difficulty levels add some replay value, to a package that is highly reminiscent of 90's classics.

Despite its short duration and rather repetitive core gameplay loop, Beyond Blue is a beautiful, educational and well-made effort that aims to inform and raise awareness about the issues that plague the deep blue world and its inhabitants.

Deeply atmospheric and profoundly disturbing, 2Dark presents a seductive mix of lo-fi Hitman-like stealth coupled with Hotline Miami claustrophobia induced adrenaline rushes. The presentation and initial pricing will not be to everyone’s taste but for horror fans, here is one to remember.

After the very intense Ep. 3: “New World Order”, Guardian of Gotham feels lackluster in narrative, along with uninteresting dialogue. The player is left with the impression that Telltale tried to invest more on the future of the series, with the establishment of origin stories, rather than the development of the current story itself.

Biomutant, the first game from Experiment 101 studio is an ambitious game which does not succeed at everything it attempts to do, but in general it is a decent and fun choice-driven action/RPG.

Aven Colony suffers from a mild identity crisis. It converges many base building sims in one, never collapsing under that weight but never excelling either. All in all, it's a pretty decent and stable colony sim and even manages to offer some moments of otherworldly poetry.

Though not without its share of flaws, Battle Princess Madelyn stays true to the formula of the games that inspired it, eschewing artificial difficulty and keeping all the fun.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is a really fun and well-made fighting game, ideal for newcomers. If it offered more offline content in its standard package and a better online code was implemented, then we would highly recommend it to all fans of the genre.

An interesting turn-based tactical game that doesn't innovate but is an honest proposition for fans of the genre.

This second part gives us the impression that the best is yet to come. Up to now it has carefully enhanced its plot, increased the number of introduced characters and started giving signs that the consequences of our decisions will be depicted in the next episodes.

Exploring Atomfall's world and investigating the mystery at its core is a real delight, but it requires several modifications and additions to reach its full potential.

Before the Storm's finale fails to deliver a fitting climax for the portrayal of a unique relationship. It feels hasty and loses scope, making the characters seem illogical and suspends our disbelief. At least the special bond that the heroines had retains its magic and young and tragic innocence.

2024's Alone in the Dark is not on par with the Resident Evil remakes which set the bar really high to be honest and not the triumphant return we've been waiting for the legendary series. Nevertheless, it's a notable addition to it, one that if anything makes its name sound more than just a distant echo again. With a satisfying 9-hour campaign and good replayability with 2 characters with different perspectives on the story (plus some other differences I won't spoil), it's a good offering in the genre.

My Friend Pedro is undoubtedly a remarkable title worth trying, as long as you know what you are buying. It is a game that you have to play over and over again, it is based a lot in style and it can offer several hours of pure, though repetitive, adrenaline action.

Dragon Quest VII – Reimagined, for someone playing it for the first time, is just a by-the-numbers old-fashioned JRPG experience, updated for modern audiences, which at times tires with its repetitiveness, while for those who have tried the original, perhaps nostalgia will touch them a little more.

A traditional third-person cinematic shooter that combines an immersive story and beautiful cutscenes with rather average gameplay. Even so, it still won me over.

We expected nothing less from Tribute Games, which once again manages to deliver a well-rounded and complete beat 'em up that, while not reaching the high heights of the genre, but it won't disappoint fans of the genre.

Despite some rather controversial combat mechanics, Skyshine's Bedlam remains a fun and artistically beautiful roguelike experience, following in the footsteps of games like Faster Than Light.

Chess lovers who were looking for a nice Warhammer-themed battle chess, look no further. The regicide mode is bloody good fun, yet there are a few things that could have been better, such as the monotonous campaign.