Short and light on the puzzles, Darkestville Castle will hardly surprise point-and-click veterans. On the flipside, it has a quirky world filled with quirky, witty characters.

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

Monotonous gameplay flow, almost identical towns and quests, and there is just one winning strategy. It’s a good-looking, but brainless game; some solitaires are deeper than this one.

The ending serves as a bridge to a possible 5th installment, but it’s going to be just as bad unless the developers reinvent the series. The "entertain yourself" approach to the open world ran out of steam a long time ago, campaign missions are going downhill fast, and the amount of bugs has skyrocketed.

Announce as many cool things as possible, then, while everyone is distracted by flashy trailers, swap the actual game with a hardly playable dummy. Looks like The Masterplan itself is a con.

No amount of noir stylings and serial killers can save this clunky game. Too bad — the idea itself was good.

A beautiful, unnecessarily protracted, empty shell of a game.

The gameplay mechanics of Ancient Space would have been a good fit for multiplayer, but there are no online modes at all, and the single-player campaign is hardly worth your time.

They say that something is better than nothing, and Pandora is not a bad game. It’s just nowhere near the source of its inspiration – the still brilliant Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri.

In an attempt to recapture Studio Ghibli’s magic, the creators of Encodya put a lot of effort in amazing visuals, composed excellent music, hired great voiceover actors, and… botched narrative and game design. Without them, Encodya fails on both counts, as a fairytale and a game.

The Thing: Remastered, like the original, tries as hard as it can to be like a good game. Do not believe it.

It's a short, but very intense adventure, with brief cinematics, compact maps without padding or copy/pasted elements. It brings a lot of variety into the world teeming with bland "sandboxes".

Oversimplification is the real joykiller in Disjunction. Its story feels like a rough outline, levels are made out of copy/pasted prefabs, stealth and character progression are just as simplistic, as is everything else.

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

At first, TurnOn strikes you as a bolt of lightning. Wow, the first Russian indie game released under the ID@Xbox banner, and with nice graphics and sound to boot. After the initial shock wears off, you notice the roughness around the edges, the lack of multiplayer with leaderboards (for musical levels), irregular checkpoint placement, the hero jumping through textures…

Taking over the series development reins, Paintbucket Games chose a path of imitation by rehashing elements of the first two games without adding anything new. Diligently copying rules, gameplay mechanics and visual attributes, the developers missed the whole raison d'etre of the game — making tough decisions under pressure, because Beholder 3 is incapable of driving you into a corner.

While Heroes 7 shows promise and some good ideas, there is so much mess on the technical side of things that you should wait a few months before opening up your wallet. Although, after what happened with Heroes 6, there is no guarantee that Ubisoft will iron out the bugs.

There are two sides to one’s experience playing Skyshine’s Bedlam. You either feel bewildered when you lose another character in a seemingly unavoidable catastrophe, or grind away, repeating the same routing over and over again. And there is no gameplay between these sides.

Primal Carnage is not a bad game, but you'll get tired of it after a couple of days. If you want to find out what is feels like to be a monster, try Natural Selection 2.

Rainswept calls itself a detective adventure, yet it’s actually not, and those who come looking for clever intrigue and unexpected twists won’t find any. But fans of reflective reading will enjoy this melancholic psychological adventure and dive deep into a multilayered inner world of its characters.

Eight Princes is the DLC for the most devoted fans of Three Kingdoms who pore over patch notes after every update. It invites you to join the same rat race as in Yellow Turban Rebellion, the game's previous DLC, on the very same map, but with a shorter list of available factions.

In many aspects, Elex is a blast from the distant past — antiquated, clumsy, and half-baked. But even with all that, I would often find myself pulling all-nighters in its weird world.

The ever-increasing level requirements force players to grind. These side missions are all too similar in their look and design. Varied, exciting combat could have been the game’s saving grace, but, alas, it leaves a lot to be desired.

The game quickly loses steam, even though at first it seems fun, and its retro-futuristic design is charming throwback to fan-favorite movies of the 70s and 80s. Unfortunately, the monotony inevitably leads to boredom as the game has nothing to challenge you with except to repeat the same few actions over and over.

10.000.000 is built on a solid foundation: subtle retro-style graphics, nice music, and, what is more important, the engrossing chaos of a real-time puzzle. At first, you can't put the game down, but then you realize that all that doesn't hold a candle to Puzzle Quest and Clash of Heroes. Bite-sized play sessions and minimalistic gameplay are a good fit for mobile platforms, but as far as time-killers go on PC, this one lacks depth.

All in all, NBA 2K21 still holds the bar, but there is very little incentive to switch to this version if you had your fill of 2K20, unless you’re a dedicated fan of MyTeam.

A chaotic, pretty much useless crossover of Final Fantasy worlds. I’m surprised that this game was made by Team Ninja.

A well-rounded survival game with rich atmosphere and a solid gameplay foundation, even though it adds nothing new to the genre.

The Park feels like a typical soulless tie-in game, only it promotes a MMORPG instead of a summer movie.

This Frankenstein’s monster disguised as an adventure game is a clear example of how its creators do not understand what humor, storytelling or gameplay is. At first, you blame the cultural barrier between Japan and the Western world. Then you think that Access Games is trolling us. Finally, you realize that this is just interactive gibberish created by talentless hacks.

An avalanche of poorly thought-out game design decisions makes it impossible to enjoy The Way.

A pointless new edition of a shoddy game. Even if you’re a fan of Remnant: From the Ashes, you’d be better off just watching the ending on YouTube.

In theory, Frozenheim is something of a middle ground between a classic RTS and a meditative city-builder. This is a good concept, and the Nordic setting adds to the flair, but Frozenheim never nails either of its halves.

Another unsuccessful attempt to restart Alone in the Dark. I wouldn't want to see a sequel made in the same vein.

The developers can still fix NBA Playgrounds if they’re willing to do so. All they need to do is add more brains to AI, add competitions and re-balance attack and defense. Otherwise this game is just another reason to remember the awesomeness that was NBA 2K17.

A disappointing debut by a clearly talented developer.

Among the Sleep is yet another good example of a successful game made possible thanks to Kickstarter.

The only tangible addition to this iteration is the boring, half-baked Pro Cyclist mode.

A simplified version of The Banner Saga with a couple of cool ideas and boatload of mistakes in game design.

Auroch Digital failed in its attempt to make a simplified version of Armageddon Empires. By removing the most difficult elements, the developers robbed the game of its charm, and new gameplay modes and improved UI can't fill the void.

Undungeon is a victim of development hell. A promising roguelike with a weird multiverse and a plethora of original characters turned into a dreary action/RPG with a broken combat system, bad dialogue and poorly designed quests.

Just like Quantum Break’s villain, Remedy fell victim to its lofty ambitions.

Thankfully, the short single-player campaign is not all that there is, as BlazeRush also has a very fun multiplayer mode.

I hope that there is a special place in hell for the those who made this train-wreck.

Submerged: Hidden Depths is full of beautiful post-apocalyptic landscapes, but the gameplay will still put you to sleep.

Better dust off the original Doom than play its pale imitation.

In one of the interviews, the developers stated that they wanted to start different project originally, but later decided to do This Is the Police 2 instead. Well, the sequel is not slopwork in any way, but you can’t help but feel a certain lack of enthusiasm and concentration of the game’s creators.

Agatha Christie - Death on the Nile is even more disappointing than Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express. The only thing worth praising is the stylish cover on Steam.

In a manner, Biomutant’s name is self-explanatory. After all, mutation is often a byproduct of a mistake.

In Sunset, Tale of Tales decided to construct something that looks like a traditional game instead of their usual half-abstract interactive installations, and then it became clear – oh my God, these people have no talent for making games at all.

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

Despite BioShock trappings, Close to the Sun is a straightforward adventure with a pinch of puzzles, veering dangerously close to being labeled as a walking simulator.

Different drawing style and monk-like garments of the main villain, which caused a stir among fans before the game’s release, are actually the least of its problems.

A source of escapist fun for those who enjoys exploring underwater worlds and an intimidating bug-riddled leviathan for everyone else.

An impressive bestiary of rogue DNA horrors, a charismatic hero and a huge world to explore. This is enough to forgive Rain World for a few weird design choices and at times wonky jumping mechanics.

Fans of police procedurals and stylish games will definitely enjoy this original hybrid of management game and a visual noir novel.

Konami should really give a raise to the genius who came up with the idea of selling what is basically a demo version for $29.99. You see, there is only one mission in Ground Zeroes. I was gawking around and taking screenshots, and I still managed to beat it in less than 90 minutes. You can do it in 30 even if you don’t skip the lengthy cinematics.

An unfinished prototype of a game featuring lots of messed-up gameplay elements and too many ambitions.

An overly ambitious, tedious, shockingly short game.

Vikings: Wolves of Midgard has everything to cement its mediocrity: lots of annoying "Kill <insert_name_here>" challenges, a badly written story peppered with silly jokes, and cooperative mode that no one seems to play.

Know by Heart could have been a nice romantic movie in the vein of Perfect Sense, free from its mediocre gameplay. Still, it is somewhat satisfying to play.

Puzzles lack variety, and each of them is a one-shot challenge. It’s easy to arrive at a solution by simply scanning a level and launching the flock a couple of times. The execution is just a matter of careful timing.

A potato-based space odyssey with an ever-increasing degree of frustration.

Despite a myriad technical flaws, Swansong does have a well-crafted world (even though it pummels you with TMI at first), non-linearity, nice vibes and even an air of intrigue.

The Yawhg is original enough to draw the attention of your guests away from Wii Sports, but if you like to read stories alone, this game is not for you.

Even the Halo brand can’t save Spartan Strike with its short linear levels, long boring shootouts with dumb enemies and a silly story.

The fifteen-year ordeal of Asylum's developers didn't end with a happy ending: while most of the game is praiseworthy, the final part is highly disappointing.

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.

Whatever its original concept was, Albedo fails as both shooter and adventure.

An original, but, unfortunately, repetitive and clumsy game. Even if you’re a huge fan of trains, think twice before getting this one.

Stronghold Crusader 2 is hardly the worst representative of its niche sub-genre, but Firefly Studios is too stuck in the past to freshen the aging concept.

Forge is an orphan of a game, with lonely players stalking its empty servers. It is, in fact, not even a game, but just a prototype of one.

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.

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

Single-player campaigns will probably entertain you with their strategic puzzles for 6-10 hours, but after that… You expect to see feature-rich multiplayer in a digital version of a board game, but, alas, it’s not the case here.

I imagine the developers wrote the script for this episode just as they went along, because the ending is so shocking and unexpected that it could have been topped only by a giant “F U” plastered across the screen.

The world of Cradle is huge and beautiful, but oh so ludicrously empty.

Ash of Gods, despite similar visual style, is unlike The Banner Saga. It’s a completely different game, with its own mood, ideas, features… and, unfortunately, level of quality.

Tedious “search expeditions” accompanied by dull music and sprinkles of boring text — that is all you will ever find in InnerSpace.

A lackluster detective story which has nothing to hook you with is not what I was expecting from Dontnod Entertainment.

In Unrest, the player is just a spectator. The characters you play cannot change a thing about the world, and it is incredibly disappointing.

Blacksad is painfully derivative, but it’s not so bad as it seems at first impression. It’s a pity that this intriguing, smart, mature story with colorful characters in an unusual world will never get the attention they deserve because of numerous bugs and horrendous controls.

Thunder Tier One has one very steep requirement if you want to enjoy it — it’s almost impossible to play it with random strangers. Find a good group, and the game will flourish.

A good original concept turned into a surprisingly boring adventure with a paper-thin plot and simplistic puzzles.

A completely derivative, mouldy, boring hack job created by a once renowned studio. Looks like the hero of Risen 3 is not the only one who lost his soul.

Playing The Casting of Frank Stone is like watching a mediocre horror movie. You can only have some fun if you're in the right mood.

This is a game for hardcore Star Trek fans who are not afraid of grand strategies and don't know how to play Stellaris with mods.

Journey of a Roach has a couple of fresh ideas in its sleeve, but the visuals are too amateurish, and the puzzles are dull.

Introversion Software’s DEFCON is cheaper and way better than this one.

It's more like a collection of Sherlock-themed mini-games with a AAA-range price tag, rather than a seamless experience.

A single-player campaign of Battlefront 2, however bad it is, is not a party pooper by itself. But when you add luck-based demoralizing character upgrades, paltry rewards, not-so-subtle hints at a “pay to win” system, and a bunch of annoying bugs, you will have to muster all your love of Star Wars just to endure this game.

Veterans of the genre and fans of the original board game will probably enjoy this adaptation. Everyone else will deem it too uncomely and dull.

A beautiful nightmare, cozy and purple like A-minor. It's definitely the best Kafka-based game of this spring.

Telltale’s Game of Thrones is a bad-looking, dumb, predictable drama. It has some powerful moments, but compared to the show and the books, this is nothing more than a farce.

Rise & Shine's cute look lulls you into thinking that this is going to be an awesome game. Hand-drawn backgrounds and characters look great, the animation is smooth, and the attention to detail is everywhere. But the controls are insufferable: it's difficult to target your enemies while playing on gamepad, and good luck dashing and jumping with a keyboard.

In contrast to the original Elex, this awkward sequel is a typical Piranha Bytes game. And no, it’s not a compliment.

Chronology is just asking to compare it to Braid, even though it is a mediocre game.

It’s not fire, but just a spark. It’s funny and clever at times, but this collection of absurdist sketches is just as close to a good adventure game as a cave painting of an antelope — to an actual animal.