Mages of Mystralia is definitely an enjoyable game, maybe one of the most fun games of the year, but undoubtedly it had the prospect of something more grandeur. Perhaps the inevitable sequel will do the trick.

An emotional and heartfelt farewell to the daughter of an entire generation of gamers. The power of the narrative is such, that Telltale manages to pull one last rabbit out of it’s battered, mangled hat. As Clementine walks into the sunset, we know that we can never go home again. Telltale knows it too. It’s heartbreaking and it’s beautiful. And it’s also quite alright.

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.

The “blindness” premise commits narrative suicide by effectively presenting the player with a complete, yet terribly drab view of the game-world. Furthermore, no real sense of danger or urgency is ever created and the game’s narrative falls victim to genre tropes once too many. The very definition of a noble failure, Perception fails to engage the player on an emotional level and crumbles under the weight of its monotony.

An amazing debut from Pixelated Milk, featuring a refreshing, deep, and satisfying combat system. Honest old school design, without any tiresome grinding. We anxiously await their next game.

NBA Playgrounds is a refreshing title that provides a full arcade basketball experience. Many basketball fans will be satisfied with its massive roster and hundreds of dunks and moves, although some gameplay mechanics need re-balancing.

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.

Charlie Murder is a top-shelf beat' em up, that comfortable shares the "throne" of action/beat' em up games with indie titles such as Castle Crashers, and coupled with the low price, it is a must-buy for fans of the genre.

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.

For all practical intents and purposes, this is System Shock 3. Arkane Studios has salvaged Looking Glass’ throne, gorgeously decorated it with alien glass from the valleys of Neptune and now comfortably sits on the immersive sim throne, presiding over one of PC gaming’s founding and most influential genres. A masterclass in every respect, Prey is a very strong contender for 2017’s Game of the Year award.

Everything that was good in Conquistador is taken to its next level of evolution with the change from the Strategy/RPG formula into a more "traditional" RPG experience in Viking. Fans of Logic Artists' first game and of the RPG genre in general are sure to be delighted with this authentically Norse experience filled with intrigue, cultural conflict, exploration and conquest.

Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom is a desperately moderate "western" JRPG that hardly will satisfy a devotee of the genre, and I would not suggest it to someone who is not familiar with the genre, unless its serious problems with the battle system are fixed.

Highly stylized and in turns deliciously horrifying and mysterious, Little Nightmares completes the “Unholy Trifecta” alongside Limbo and Inside, of the decades’ essential puzzle platformers.

Blackwood Crossing was created with a lot of passion and love, both for storytelling and for creating a magical 3D world. It falls short on providing meaningful player participation, depriving a video game of a most vital aspect, gameplay.

An emotional and narrative masterpiece full of elegant intensity, What Remains of Edith Finch also manages to brilliantly subvert genre tropes and expectations in order to deliver some of the most memorable character vignettes in recent video game history.

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.

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.

After 9 years of drought, there is a Hockey game on PC again! Old Time Hockey is an indie title flavored with brutal ‘70s taste. It provides arcade style gameplay and challenges us through a satisfying story mode. Hardcore fans certainly will enjoy it.

Vikings – Wolves of Midgard is a very conflicted game. On one hand, you have a well-executed, fast-paced, action-packed hack’n’slash gameplay. On the other hand, the game is ridden with frustrating and annoying mechanisms (inventory handling, leveling up restricted to altars etc.), and filled with bugs which may directly influence the experience (eg. force still command although the enemy may be out of melee range). Unfortunately, in this case the cons outweigh the pros by a wide margin, and we cannot recommend it to be your priority purchase.

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

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.

Utopia, together with the free “Banks” update, introduce a ton of much-desired additions to Stellaris’ core gameplay. It might need some more polish and balancing in order to truly shine, but it remains a solid step forward in the game’s journey to perfection.

Battle Brothers immersed me more than what you would expect from “just” a turn-based tactical RPG. I love its artistic approach, its mechanics to every last bit, and of course its unforgiving difficulty curve. I would not have it any other way. In this reviewer's humble opinion, this is easily the leading candidate for indie game of 2017.

Yooka-Laylee encompasses some modern design sensibilities and lots of nostalgia vibes, reminiscent of carefree, bygone eras. Some drawbacks hold it back from being a classic, but nevertheless its rich content and high fun factor will ring true to fans of the genre.

A charming premise and tongue-in-cheek exploitation writing, stumble on frustrating bugs and repetitive gameplay mechanics. There is value here for the dedicated 80’s exploitation cop film buffs but the kinks will have to be ironed out to make this game worth recommending to a broader public.

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.

High production values, excellent fun and the closest you will get to an interactive version of “Smokey and the Bandit” in this video game generation. A very pleasant surprise for Mafia fans, and the Herbalism side quest alone is worth the price of admission.

Souls series leaves us with great memories and unique experiences. "The Ringed City" is the ultimate end game content of Dark Souls 3. Thank you Hidetaka Miyazaki for this wonderful trip.