The journal with its rich tradition is published biannually as a double volume. It provides reviews of new publications in literary and cultural studies from Romance, Slavonic, English and American Studies. An international editorial board with representatives from the four subject areas guarantees the quality and relevance of the reviews selected for publication. Each volume contains detailed reviews of some 40 new titles, which are located within the context of current research debates in their particular fields. The language of publication is normally that of the work reviewed. The journal focuses in particular on transdisciplinary themes from international literary and cultural studies, aids orientation within the particular subject areas and across the disciplines and provides an ideal complement to the specialist journals for the subject areas mentioned.

As of 2014, the English language section of Kritikon is offering in-depth review-essays that report on significant new releases in a larger field of academic interest. The editors envision work that discovers new titles, suggests directions for future work, and may rescue valuable older work from neglect.