Despite coming with its very own set of cons, Sniper Elite 5 is still brilliantly glorious. It’s indeed repetitive if you want to always take the fastest route to complete a mission, but at the end of the day, the more time you spend doing everything right, the more Sniper Elite impresses. Rebellion has clearly improved the parts that fans have been asking for, so you’re getting not only larger maps, but also more varied levels, better equipment, more troops, more vehicles, more weapon customization options, and so on. The new invasion mode also makes missions more challenging by allowing human players to enter your game and take the role of an Axis sniper, though you can obviously disable this mode if you just want to stick with single-player action. So overall, Sniper Elite 5 has a little bit of everything, eventually creating one of the most solid gameplays of the year so far.

Volgarr the Viking II is designed to appeal to players who liked the first installment, with its mix of difficulty and reward. The Norse-themed universe does not offer much in the way of story, but it has tight gameplay and plenty of challenges for players to face. Accept the fact that you’ll end up as a zombie at one point and get ready to delete saves to try again. The game’s presentation captures what made action platformers stand out in arcades in the ‘90s. Anyone who hung out in those will like it, others might have trouble connecting with it. Volgarr the Viking II is a throwback that tests players’ skills and is not afraid to frustrate them.

Is FIFA 19 better than FIFA 18? The answer is yes. There is no doubt about that. But what if we ask a harder question? If FIFA 19 as good as it should have been? The answer is probably no, but it’s very likely that the game will be more than enough for some people.

Cities: Skylines is the best experience for a gamer who wants to play a modern city builder that has a solid set of mechanics and manages to avoid all the traps that have sunk the reboot of SimCity that Maxis and Electronic Arts created.

The premise of the story is interesting and gets you hooked, and even though the game is linear and demands near perfect execution for many of its puzzles, it's still an interesting mechanical and visual experience, but A Story About My Uncle ultimately disappoints by ending very abruptly and not getting anywhere.

Tamarak Trail’s unique idea is to give players dice to roll while also allowing them to choose exactly what action is on each face. This creates opportunities for interesting interactions, enhanced by the random way the dice bump into each other when thrown. Artifacts that can be slotted into die add to their power. As engaging as combat can be, the rest of the experience is too close to the genre’s standards to be compelling, especially the node structure. The game might also want to be somewhat more generous with its currency. Tamarak Trail does offer something new to veterans of the combat rogue-lite mix but for me, it became too repetitive too quickly.

Sail Forth might appear a little too simple at first, but it has mechanical depth. It is hard but satisfying to put together a solid fleet with varied capabilities and find ways to constantly improve its effectiveness. The game offers quite a few narrative threads to pull on. Even if the story and characters are not its best element, the sailing and management more than make up for them. Players who expect a full-on open-world experience might be disappointed. But the smaller areas deliver extra meaning for each encounter, regardless of whether it is another pirate fight or a race, or something else. Sail Forth doesn’t deliver on all its mechanics but it nails the sense of freedom and exploration.

PCM 2015 is not a perfect sports sim and Cyanide lacks the resources to make it one but it does deliver solid mechanics and impressive race moments and all cycling lovers should give it a shot and try and change history with their favorite teams and riders.

UFOPHILIA is a good experience for players who like the wider investigation genre and have grown bored with its focus on the supernatural. Sure, the alien types might as well be types of ghosts or other spirits. But at least there’s an attempt to make the player feel like a veteran alien hunter, with a unique set of tools. The main gameplay loop is good, with plenty of ways for players to identify the extraterrestrial they have to photograph and some decent scares. Unfortunately, the narrative elements are pretty limited, and the presentation does not impress. UFOPHILIA is recommended for hardcore fans of first-person horror with a touch of detective work, but will struggle to bring in newcomers.

When I started playing Antro, I didn’t have any idea what to expect from it. Antro certainly feels like a weird indie game, but as you follow the story and get engaged into its marvelous gameplay, its beauty unravels. I found myself playing it without wanting to stop, just seeing what challenges are onward and whether I can pass each level during my first try. Sure, it’s not a long game, nor does it need to be. Antro manages to tell its story in a way that’s memorable, with amazing Spanish music that seamlessly integrates with the gameplay. The game is innovative, while also bringing us the tried-and-tested speedrunning mechanics for a platformer. It’s quirky and weird, but in a good way.

Game of Thrones Episode 4 starts putting the series on the final straight in terms of action and packs quite a few interesting situations. There are a few of glitches and some choices end up with a game over screen but it's still a pretty enjoyable experience.

Overall, Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse Remastered is a great experience. It shows the care that went into polishing the original episodes to bring out their whacky qualities so they can shine as a classic adventure game with some truly inventive elements. This release also marks the end of an era, and inevitably raises the question of what is next in store for Sam and Max, as well as the other loveable characters of the franchise. Hopefully, the franchise will continue to live by adding new adventures to what’s been a crazy ride for decades.

Pax Augusta is a unique take on Roman-era city building, with a focus on slow development and modularity. The effort to come as close to actual history as possible, when it comes to both buildings and citizen needs, is laudable. The fact that one developer created this entire video game is even more impressive. The cities look good, even if citizens tend to behave in relatively weird ways. But the game does need to improve performance and find better ways to deliver feedback, especially when it comes to building restrictions. Any fan of classics like Caesar or more titles like Manor Lords will have fun with Pax Augusta as long as he gives the game time and attention.

Sonic may be the fastest hedgehog alive, but the game is called Team Sonic Racing for a reason, and if you want to experience what it is like to put aside your ego and see how it is to win a race as a team, then this is your go-to game. This title blasts all naysayers out of the way with the impeccable gameplay, the fantastic graphics and the all familiar Sonic the Hedgehog feel you get throughout each race.

Loopmancer is a good game for gamers who want a very specific experience: a mix of action and rogue ideas that tells a cyberpunk-themed detective story. The combat mechanics require time to master and there are solid challenges to engage with. The rogue aspects are a little underdeveloped and it feels like unlocking weapons requires too much money. But the game never tries to innovate in any of the spaces it is working in. It has no ambition other than to deliver a good mix of ideas that can keep players engaged. I wanted to see a cool twist on the cyberpunk future or combat mechanics that expands genres. Loopmancer is a solid experience that never becomes more than its parts.

Roguebook is a competent game, both a good and a bad thing to be in the crowded rogue and card game spaces. For a newcomer, this is a solid entry-point, with engaging battles, a good long-term progression, and an interesting way to explore. For someone who has played the obvious inspirations the ink-linked ideas are not innovative enough. The team at Abrakam was too conservative in its approach. The game needs more weirdness and more tweaks to the battle formula to stand out. If they get the chance to create another Roguebook experience they need to take the good bones of this game and then push the entire genre forward in some way.

Despite its shortcomings, Heaven's Vault is a delightful experience that's meant to discover your inner archaeologist. Even though it brings forward a repetitive puzzle system that encourages you to translate as many inscriptions as you can get your hands on, the loop remains fresh until the end of the game, and quite addictive I might add.

Shao Jun's story is interesting but the chance to see the Templar vs. Assassins conflict in a new historical setting is even better. Unfortunately, the emphasis on stealth and some of the tough stages in terms of enemy patterns and behavior force players into a trial and error approach.

If I were to make a list of games that people should play, the remake of System Shock would definitely be on that list. The folks at Nightdive Studios did an excellent job at breathing new life into the cult game, so if you’ve been holding back from playing System Shock due to outdated graphics, check out the remake. Despite the fact that some mechanics have been modernized, I believe that the presentation, new visuals, as well as the quality-of-life improvements fully make up for it. The blend of modern and retro graphics in the cutscenes and some of the environments are absolutely gorgeous.

Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged is a laudable effort that despite its merits annoys me. First and foremost because it’s part of the remaster trends that keep plaguing this generation. Secondly, because it made me realize that one of my childhood’s iconic games was a much more special experience in my memories. There’s nothing really wrong with this remaster, but unlike Full Throttle or Grim Fandango, it shattered some illusions I was holding onto regarding the golden age of point and click adventure games.

Last Time I Saw You is a gem of an indie game that combines heartfelt storytelling, beautiful visuals, and a touch of the supernatural. Its blend of folklore, exploration, and character-driven narrative makes it a standout title in the side-scrolling adventure genre. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it offers a leisurely stroll through a magical place. For anyone looking to immerse themselves in a serene yet compelling adventure, this game is well worth the journey. Whether you’re a fan of Japanese culture, atmospheric storytelling, or simply want a break from the ordinary, Last Time I Saw You is worth a try.

Icewind Dale isn’t a perfect game, but it’s one of the best RPGs of all times. Obviously, the Enhanced Edition is also among the best in the genre, but it only brings minor improvements into the mix.

Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition is a good update for a classic real-time strategy experience. Players can experience an updated take on the core content as well as new campaigns and trails, all designed to appeal mainly to those who already know and love the core gameplay. The game offers a variety of modes and plenty of challenges to master. The game looks good, given it’s 20 years old at this point, and the historical campaigns are good jumping-off points to learn more about the period. Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition is a great package for fans who want to play the best version of a classic and a good one for newcomers who like real-time strategy. It also shows that the series needs a modern installment with new approaches to its classic ideas, a better user interface, and improved graphics.

Warhammer is the sort of universe that fits well with 4X games, and I wish there were more of it. Even if I never played the board game version, I was still able to enjoy it. And let’s not forget that it’s well optimized and has low system requirements, so it should be ideal to play on slower hardware, such as laptops, for example.

I want to say what type of game it is, but Man of Medan doesn’t fit into a particular genre. At its core, it’s a cinematic experience, but that doesn’t explain much. I could say that it’s a horror adventure game, and I would be a little bit closer to the truth. The alternative is that The Dark Pictures Anthology is part of a new genre, for which we don’t have a proper name yet, even if it’s not exactly the first one in the series. With that said, I can only recommend The Dark Pictures Anthology, despite the control problems. The way the games makes people feel when playing is worth it, even if you’re always talking with the characters, trying to keep them on a straight path through the levels. And the best part is that Man of Medan has so many choices that I can go back, and play something completely different.

Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty is an enjoyable strategy experience that takes players to one of the less popular theaters of World War II. Both campaigns will test the gamers’ tactical acumen as well as their ability to quickly understand a situation and find a good solution using limited resources. The equipment system adds an interesting layer to the classic mechanics, but the game is otherwise very classic in its approach. Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty is a strategy title that appeals to fans of this genre who really want to test their skills leading Finnish forces against the Russian juggernaut.

Plan B: Terraform offers an automation and terraforming experience that doesn’t overwhelm. The complexity level increases gradually as more products are needed by the cities and the quest to create an atmosphere and oceans. The mechanics allow players to create quick and dirty solutions while also making it simple to go back and rebuild entire systems in the name of optimization. Unfortunately, the core design will struggle to draw in players who don’t love the automation and supply chain genre. Extra lore elements, or maybe a chance to interact with citizens in the cities, could have helped. Plan B: Terraform is complex but relaxed and will offer tens of hours of optimization action for anyone who likes the idea.

Those who want precision and control should stay away, but Chaos Reborn will be a good fit for players who appreciate planning but also want to be surprised during a battle.