With Arma 3, Bohemia made a big step towards a unified platform for its military shooters, but at the same time took two steps back in regards to actual game content. Only the most hardcore fans will enjoy Arma 3 in its current form.

Even though the game’s weak attempts at humor work better when you play it with friends, compared to Magicka, Legend of Dungeon is still a snoozefest.

The soundtrack is the only good thing in the new Rise of the Triad.

On one side, you have linear gameplay, at times simplistic game design and plenty of clichés. On the other – an exciting opportunity to star in a very cool horror ‘movie’.

Gone Home is an ideological sister to Dear Esther, only not as beautiful or mysterious.

Brothers, unlike many recent indie hits, is very down to earth. It is not rife with intellectual puzzles like Braid, it is not as open to interpretations as Journey. It just makes you think about simple human values.

By packaging the original Flashback: The Quest for Identity, the developers made a huge mistake – because it makes the remake look even worse than it is.

I look at Ace Patrol, and it looks just like a board game, but, why, oh why is it so shallow?

Beyond: Two Souls is nothing more than a movie where they occasionally allow you to press some buttons and advance the story. The shallow, banal, cliche-ridden story drags on, and on, and on...

Aarklash: Legacy is not without its moments, but it is too sadistic to be any fun.

The best way to enjoy Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is to treat it like an interactive movie. Just don’t expect any scares in this otherwise impressive drama.

The most amazing thing about this criminal saga is not only its scale, but that it perfectly works on several levels. Spine-tingling driving, fun missions, excellent dialogue, fully fleshed characters, vicious satire on pretty much everything… One play-through is not enough to appreciate GTA 5 in all its multi-layered glory.

Legendary Heroes is yet another step forward for Stardock, If you are not familiar at all with Elemental, the studio’s previous effort, or other 4X fantasy strategy games, it may even surprise you. It’s just not a stand-out game.

Shelter briefly teases with an original concept, but quickly ties you hand and foot, and then throws you into a blocky wasteland. Yes, one can argue that the game is a big metaphor for the circle of life and motherhood, but even this angle doesn’t make it interesting.

Rome 2 is one of the biggest strategy games ever made, but right now it’s not worth your money or time. Software bugs, the worst AI in the Total War series, dubious game design elements, crippled multiplayer… The inevitable string of updates will fix some of these problems, and there will be user mods to take care of the rest. Unfortunately, all of this will take months, so, if you are not in a hurry, wait until at least next spring.

Worms Revolution was a flawed, but promising game. Alas, Clan Wars fails to deliver on that promise.

A dumb, ugly, annoying game.

As weird and ironic it sounds, given the score, this is the finest game in the Lost Planet trilogy, and the most successful title ever made by Spark Unlimited. Because compared to the abysmal Lost Planet 2, this mediocrity is a huge step forward.

Just like Victoria 2: A House Divided, Heart of Darkness is a well-done expansion pack. Its improvements are focused on some very specific gameplay aspects, but they’re really deep.

Fisher’s annoyingly sulky character, questionable controls when it comes to grabbing people next to doors, traditionally daft ending level and the buggy Uplay services – these are pretty much all the sins of Blacklist. They can be easily forgiven because the rest of the game is stealth action goodness.

The first episode of The Raven trilogy is blink-and-you-miss-it short. The next time we’ll see the same events from the criminal’s point of view. Here is hoping that his version of the story is more interesting.

The moment when Space Hulk loses its charm, is two to three missions in, when you suddenly realize that you’ve already seen everything this game has to offer.

This is an unforgettable trip into the horrifying world of bureaucracy.

A few years ago, Spelunky was a unique phenomenon. Now, when its ideas have been adopted and improved upon by Super House of the Dead Ninjas, Binding of Isaac, and Rogue Legacy, this remake is simply first among equals.

Time equals money, and Time and Eternity is not worth either.

Last year, I called Crusader Kings 2 the best game that Paradox had ever produced. Now it is joined by Europa Universalis 4.

If you believe that the world of Saints Row has been missing things like telekinesis, giant mechs, and cartoonish megalomaniacs, wait until this year’s Christmas sales. The discounted price will better reflect the cheap nature of this «sequel».

Payday 2 is basically SWAT 4, only you play as criminals instead of cops. Stylish, exhilarating, and quite hardcore, this game is a treat for fans of team-based coop shooters.

Arkane made a mistake of cutting Daud’s story into two separate DLCs because all the good stuff is in the second part.

It’s a pity that this once high-concept project devolved into a mindless imitation of Mass Effect.

High Voltage Software produced a solid PC port, with a 60 fps frame rate, better visuals and excellent keyboard support. I wish they did not unlock all the characters, outfits and fatalities right off the bat, though.

Skulls of the Shogun is too air-headed to be hailed as the RTS masterpiece of all times, but a great game nonetheless.

The single-player campaign is just there to unlock units and ammunition, and earn money for upgrades. Skip the boring story and the dumb AI – playing against real people is much more fun.

Jake Keane 2 is crude and clumsy, as if the developers did not want to make this game at all, but someone forced them to.

Dragon Commander is worth buying only if you intent to play it in multiplayer, because the story campaign, even on the highest difficulty setting, fails to challenge to excite.

I wish I could have explored the world of Expeditions longer, but the map is not that big, and the story is short. I wasn’t trying to look in every nook and cranny, but did not rush, and the whole campaign took me just 15 hours to beat.

An excellent arcade game with nice RPG elements and a massive replayability factor. You will enjoy Rogue Legacy if you’re not afraid to die – a lot.

Sang-Froid has its share of flaws, most of which are typical for indie games, but it is easy to overlook them – after all, not every ‘tower defense’ offers an original concept, cool gameplay mechanics, and a captivating story.

Yet another game inspired by Portal. Magrunner looks stunning, but there is not an ounce of what made Portal so fun.

Nice 2D graphics, intense battles, a right degree of ‘hardcoreness’, almost no show-stopping bugs, well-written story and dialogues – that is quite an achievement for an indie studio.

Just like other Nintendo’s first-party offerings for Wii U, Pikmin 3 carefully walks the same twice-beaten path. And it is refreshingly stern with the players – colorful vistas and charming characters hide a hardcore game.

The best thing about DARK is that there are no hints at a sequel. At all.

Playing 400 Days is like watching a random scene from a summer action movie – you have no idea who is shooting whom and, what’s more important, why the hell you’re supposed to care for these characters.

Disharmony is the next step in the development of Endless Space. It is not big even if you count new research options, heroes and buildings, but still, you’ll get a lot of nice stuff for your 10 bucks.

Reus is a math puzzle dressed as a god sim. Do not mistake it for a laid-back economic strategy game - playing Reus is never a relaxing experience. It is too bad that some of the challenges crop up because of the poorly-designed UI.

In Toki Tori 2, Two Tribes made a big open world that will take you hours to fully explore. It is a not a laid-back exploration game, though - glitchy AI and time-sensitive puzzles can make up for a very frustrating experience.

Amongst the many sins of Mars: War Logs, the total lack of originality is the worst one.

Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded is a shameless game, but, alas, not in the sense that you’ve been expecting.

Remove the lazy in-game shop, add gamepad support, give some brains to AI enemies and more freedom to players – and the inevitable sequel to Deus Ex: The Fall will be a great game.

Gunpoint is stylish, incredibly atmospheric and quite deceptive as it is actually a clever puzzle rather than stealth action. Too bad it is only 3 hours long, and there is no incentive to revisit the game when you’re done with it.

The Sealed Play mode is quite cynical in its attempt to squeeze more money from players, but then again, the entire Magic: The Gathering franchise is built on that concept. Plus, Magic 2014 will consume you even if you choose not to pay for additional slots – it is still a brilliant game, after all.

Deadpool is like a crappy moonshine. It may lighten your mood for a while, but you can’t shake the gross aftertaste. And when the ending comes, you will be left with an equivalent of a bad hangover – just a couple of funny jokes plus a few severed heads.

If you wanted Company of Heroes 2 only for the single-player campaign, don’t waste your money – the story and mission design are atrocious. On the other hand, its multiplayer battles are lightning-fast and ferocious – easily the best in the RTS genre right now.

Brave New World brings a huge tangle of exciting political nuances that you’ll have to navigate on your way to world domination.

Leviathan is worth its price only in multiplayer as the single-player campaign is too shoddy and boring – just don’t forget to make yourself a big cup of valerian tea beforehand.

Cold, formulaic gameplay sucks all the enjoyment from this game’s amazing, incredibly moving story.

There is something appealing about The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, despite its rough edges and run-of-the-mill gameplay mechanics. You don’t want to leave this world, but the end titles start crawling mere 15 hours into the campaign.

Yep, we’ve already seen everything Fester Mudd has to offer. This game is a well-polished amalgamation of old plots and jokes that doesn’t dare venture far on its own. Although, considering that most modern game developers can’t even match the level of quality set by their predecessors, I think we should forgive Fester Mudd for its slavish admiration of the old classics.

It would have been cool if every nation added in The Old Gods got the same detailed treatment as the ones from the Legacy of Rome expansion, but still, this is a fascinating journey into the unforgiving Dark Ages.

A pale imitation of Castle Crashers with an empty multiplayer lobby.

Don’t expect too much of Gunslinger – it stretches its 6 hours of running and gunning with a lot repetition. They don’t even let us ride a horse – in a western game, really?! On the other hand, this Call of Juarez is a huge improvement over the abysmal CoJ: The Cartel.

The RTS genre will be alive and kicking until the day they stop making games like this one.

Sanctum 2 surpasses the original game in practically everything, and, despite a few design flaws, is very addictive.

Every situation in GRID 2 feels the same, and there is a reason. Having collected more than 50 cars in my virtual garage, I can’t point out my favorite ones – they all behave the same way, without any distinctive quirks of ‘character’. And locations that repeat ad nauseum only make this feeling worse.

The story is going around in circles, and the charm of the first act is all but gone. At this rate, Conway and his dog will soon lose their chance to leave a mark on the genre.

Monaco fails at balancing fun and cold math; the first levels are so easy that you’ll run through them without even thinking, but by the end the awkward arcade shenanigans will become the downfall of your carefully laid plans.

There are way too many small annoyances that should have been polished before the release, but fans of hardcore multiplayer shooters will definitely enjoy Rising Storm as it is.

The best way to experience Remember Me is to sit next to someone and watch them play this game.

Two years ago, I criticized the original Dead Island for its storyline that was nonsensical even by the usually low standards of the ‘zombie’ genre. Well, Riptide plunges even deeper. And don’t even dream of exploring the game’s open world – there is absolutely nothing worth your time.

The amazing art direction and style are on double duty in The Last of Us, because the game’s designers did not think its universe through. Yes, monsters are not the focal point of this story, but only three types is too few for a campaign spanning 12 to 15 hours. There are also human bandits, but a few encounters – and you’ve seen them all.

The Night of the Rabbit is great for the newcomers to adventure games – this fairytale will open up a whole new genre for them. Veteran players can safely skip it, and the only thing they’ll miss is a couple of mice peddlers – two of the best supporting characters ever made by Deadalic.

Some things must not be mixed under any circumstances, like vodka and soda or pickled herrings and milk. This rule holds true for CCGs and tower defense. Get ready to waste hours of your time playing through the same-looking levels, so you can get a slightly more powerful card.

I bet you won’t remember a single character from Fuse by the time you’re done with its campaign.

Even last year’s Bang Bang Racing, which is far from perfect, is better than MMR EVO. Here is hoping that one day a talented studio would come and properly revive the concept of micro machines racing.

A great improvement over the original Anomaly, but the game still lacks scale. More free expansions, please! Or, better yet, give us a mission editor!

Don’t expect to witness the events of the original game in a new light. Daud, the new player character, has a story of his own that is spread thin over three disappointingly short missions.

A great example of interactive storytelling where the story changes greatly depending on how you ‘read’ it.

Even though Shades of Darkness is light on surprises, do not miss it if you are a fan of the series and played both Heroes 5 and 6 – the campaign is packed with familiar faces.

God Mode feels like a free-to-play game that somehow got released without a trace of microtransactions. If you want to kill tons of monsters in co-op, better get Serious Sam 3: BFE.

As an introduction to old-school classics, Evoland is just too boring, and most veterans are not that nostalgic to blindly forgive its shoddy attempts at game design.

If you’re lucky, you’ll be done with Slender in less than an hour. The game does make you feel uneasy (which every decent horror title must do), but never goes above cheap scares. Don’t waste your money on this and play the original game for free.

Masters of the World is a must for anyone who likes fantasy turn-based strategy games. Get it, but don’t play it just yet – wait a few weeks before the developers iron out the kinks. Judging by the speed at which they churn out new patches, you won’t have to wait too long.

However flawed Badland is, you won’t go wrong if you buy it on sale – it’ll help you to kill some time on a trip.

Just like Halo 2, the last Alone in the Dark and Hotline Miami, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is not worthy of its heavenly soundtrack.

Lords of Football comes to live in the rare moments when your front man scores a goal at the last second thanks to your timely instructions. The rest of it is sheer boredom without licensed teams and any depth at all.

Behind the plain-looking graphics lives an excellent logic game with perfect balance and multiple ways to solve each puzzle.

Despite all the hints of the RPG genre, Dungeon Hearts is a typical match-3 puzzle.

Do you think that the latest Call of Duty is a tiresome on-rails FPS? Wait until you play the Heavy Fire trilogy!

If you’re not into art house video games, steer clear of Kentucky Route Zero. And even if you’re always first in line to try some weird experience, wait until they release the remaining acts. Right now, it’s hard to say what this is: a breakthrough or a hyped-up bubble.

Do not expect this to be a mobile Hearts of Iron. The entire game is a string of scenarios covering various operations. Commanding a limited number of units is fun nonetheless, just remember that S&T is not a grand strategy game.

If Eversim had not changed President Medvedev’s portrait with President Putin’s, I bet most people would not have noticed any differences between Geo-Political Simulator 2 and 3. Stability is a good thing, but the series is in a dire need of a radical reform. The developers have a lot of experience now, but, to enter next level, they have to make a new game from scratch.

This game is like a zombie itself – from afar, it seems like a normal person who just limps along for some reason… But up close the stench of dead meat is unbearable.

The best way to describe Pressure is “bland”. Aside from three entertaining boss encounters, it is monotonous and charmless.

The developers of Lost Chronicles of Zerzura have Mata Hari and two Black Mirror sequels under their belt already, but this game is an adventure in the same way as a blueprint is an airplane.

The Bridge is a great treat for fans of M.C. Escher-style labyrinths. It is not dry and repetitive as Echochrome, but at the same time, unlike the unpredictable Antichamber, follows a set of internal rules. Smart, stylish, exciting.

The worst thing about this SimCity that it is much more interesting to read about its woes rather than build cities in it.

However predictable the ending of BioShock Infinite is, it is the journey that counts, and you will not go away disappointed.

Judgment is a prequel that no one asked for. The story campaign is worth a go if you play it in co-op with friends and take declassified missions – although it adds nothing to the story of Sera. The new multiplayer modes are okay, but overall all these ‘changes’ are just a game of musical chairs.