Radu Haulica
It might have its limitations, but it's still probably the best modern rendition of a classic PC role-playing game, one that is born out of love, and one that will surely stoke long-dormant passions for the genre, as well as spark some new ones.
BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Episode 2 definitely feels worthy of the BioShock name, and delivers a fitting conclusion to the franchise. If Episode 1 was a bit lacking in both depth and length, Episode 2 is filled with the same brilliant direction Infinite had, making it easy to overlook its few lacking areas while being engrossed in the convoluted story, enjoying the flavorful dialogue and the gorgeous visuals.
Invisible Inc. has a ton of deceivingly complex interactions hidden behind its glossy exterior, and although it lets you take your time when it comes to plotting, due to its turn-based nature, it's always reminding you that you're running against the clock.
Zen Pinball 2's latest table is definitely one of the most exciting ones so far, bringing some seriously challenging and pretty complex mechanics, while also managing to be enjoyable if you don't really care about your score.
Bloodborne is truly a remarkable game, more appealing than its predecessors, more cohesive, and more satisfying from a mechanical point of view. It also has a compelling atmosphere and a captivating world to explore, full of beautiful vistas and horrific creatures to battle, as well as an ample background to slowly discover.
Dying Light is everything you wanted from Dead Island. Only instead of stepping into the shoes of a Mr. T and Ice T crossover, you're a deadly spy or soldier, and everything is bigger and better.
To sum it up in a handful of words, the entire game is about an unfair, unwinnable boss fight that you're doing your best to avoid. It's as difficult and frustrating as an Alien game should be. It's not a ride in the park and you're not an action hero. You will die a lot and you'll like it, because almost every time, it will be due to a mistake you made.
In a nutshell, this isn't a revolution, but rather an evolution of the game in the same direction that Blizzard has been pushing the game for the last few years.
Legend of Grimrock 2 is a great improvement over the original, a fantastic journey with a distinct old-school vibe, with a lot of heart and with a glossy modern veneer. Even if you haven't played the first one, it's a proper standalone, self-contained experience.
The game offers many hours of fun content for free, content that is true to Marvel's universe and pretty familiar to those who read the comics, letting you fight crime with your favorite superheroes, so I think nobody can complain when it comes to the choice of characters.
The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing 2 may not be as polished as other heavy-hitters in the genre when it comes to production value and the streamlining of its systems, but it has a lot of soul and it's not afraid to show it.
Technobabylon explores a lot of themes that lend themselves well to its futuristic setting, from sexual identity and spirituality to the perversion or preservation of humanity, exploring the vast spectrum of our species' culture, and showing both the good and the bad.
Needless to say, if you liked the first installment, you're going to love The Book of Unwritten Tales 2. If you like adventure games in general, this is one you can't afford to miss.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is perhaps the best walking simulator I have ever played, dabbling in the occult without being a cheesy ghost story where weird stuff just happens for no reason other than the call of Cthulhu.
Overall, the game offers a very enjoyable experience, not very challenging but not overly simplistic either, that keeps you pretty interested in seeing how things evolve and motivated to keep playing in order to uncover its story arc.
If you're looking for a game to tide you over until Civilization: Beyond Earth comes out and pick up Endless Legend, you might be surprised to find yourself lost in its world for much more than just a month.
All in all, Rain Games' little gem is quite the bundle of joy. It is a little bit on the short side, but that's to be expected from a 2D platformer.
Apotheon seemed like a very promising game from its trailers, and now that it's out and I got the chance to play through it, I can finally justify liking it from the very beginning.
Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishment isn't anything groundbreaking, but it's probably one of the best narrative-focused mystery games on the market. It's definitely a polished experience and may very well be the best Sherlock Holmes video game ever created, with a tense atmosphere, satisfying cases, and varied mini-games and puzzles.
Bound by Flame is not by any means bad, but it's not spectacular either, falling into the category of good but lacking some elements to make it great. The combat has its issues, some parts of the story feel a bit contrived, but for the most part the game is pretty solid.