Avowed represents quintessential game design according to Obsidian Entertainment. While not offering a radically new experience, the return to the world of Eora is an exciting action RPG, graced by the traditional care the development team put into the script. Free to be able to create one's alter ego among a thousand opportunities for customization and to direct it indiscriminately toward the paths of good or evil, Avowed puts players within a setting that is the antithesis of the dispersive risk of an endless open world, with gameplay devoted to action and fun. It may not be a revolution, and technically some hiccups are there, but for all fans of the genre it is a must.
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NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black marks the unexpected return of Ryu Hayabusa, when he now seemed to be confined only to the memories of a few video game generations ago. Instead, here he appears out of nowhere as a warrior who makes shadows his calling, with Team Ninja remastering him for us in Unreal Engine 5. Gallant and entertaining perhaps more so today than in its time, abetted by a landscape that has seen the rarification of pure action, we are faced with a perceptible step forward from Sigma 2. At the same time, however, the features that made the chapter released for the Xbox 360 unforgettable have not been reproduced, effectively materializing a missed opportunity to make the true definitive edition of the title. NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black remains, in any case, a glorious return for the franchise as we look forward to welcoming the fourth chapter at the end of the year.
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Is a product inspired by niche classics itself intended to appeal to a small audience? This is an inevitable rhetorical question that Moons of Darsalon does not shy away from. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. After a long development path, the strategic adventure from Dr. Kucho! Games also arrives on consoles repurposing all the gaming charm of forty years ago (argh), enhanced by modern technologies. It won't be an experience for everyone, that's for sure. But for those who grew up on Lemmings, this could be a very tasty trip down memory lane.
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Big Helmet Heroes is a scrolling beat'em'up that makes the ironic representation of chivalric imagery its strong point. But above all, beyond the production's evidently humorous figure, Exalted Studio makes a genuinely entertaining title, capable of making people smile thanks to its likeable protagonists grappling with sizzling hand-to-hand combat. Certainly, this is not the title of the month and it is not within its ambitions to be so. Nevertheless, it does not detract from the fact that if you want to spend a few hours in merriment, perhaps with a friend on the same couch, this is a title to keep in due consideration.
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Upon our testing, Enotria: The Last Song proved to be a competent, artistically inspired soulslike with a pleasant rate of challenge. Contrary to an edgy reception given to the Italian project in the past few months, the Jyamma Games title entertained and engaged us, also aided by a fine level design and a fun combat system. Not everything works as it should, let's be clear. The technical compartment even on Xbox Series X shows the side of some graphical bugs, some framerate uncertainties and sporadic glitches. The RPG elements and customizations are sometimes far too excessive, resulting in an overabundance of options. All this aside, however, the adventure of the Maskless One deserves to be enjoyed not only by fans of the genre, but also by all those who want to immerse themselves in the folklore of our home.
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Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered is a dream come true, for all fans of the historic dark fantasy franchise. A modernization project that pays homage to two legendary titles that contributed, in their own way, to the development of the media in new directions. The work of Aspyr and Crystal Dynamics is commendable in preserving the charm and appeal of the original products, although some of the ludic elements may appear, to the contemporary gamer, unpolished. A remastering to be jealously guarded: the story of Nosgoth deserves to be shared, today as well as over two decades ago.
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FANTASIAN Neo Dimension attests to the liberation of the legendary Hironobu Sakaguchi's latest work from the shackles of its exclusivity for mobile devices. The Mistwalker production is an exciting homage to a classic vision of JRPGs by one of its absolute masters. However, its very traditionalism, as well as certain limitations inherent in the project's origins, may be a limitation in the contemporary landscape that, ironically, the very creator of Final Fantasy helped found. For those who lived through the golden age of the genre between the 1990s and the beginning of the next millennium, this is a journey worth taking.
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FAIRY TAIL 2 is a minor disappointment. After the intriguing but acerbic 2020 debut, Gust picks up the celebrated IP to tell a new chapter in the adventures of Natsu Dragneel envisioned by Hiro Mashima. However, the final product fails to elevate the potential of its predecessor, ending up as a far too apathetic RPG despite the rethinking of the combat system. It is a product that ends up appealing exclusively to fans of the original work, who will be able to appreciate its qualities and nuances even after the shortcomings and a less-than-excellent technical compartment.
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Spirit Mancer represents a convincing debut for the Thai team Sunny Syrup Studio. An intriguing production in aesthetics as much as in gameplay, it mixes such ludic concepts as hack & slash adventure, deck-building and monster taming with stimulating ideas. The end result is a fun and tasty indie, capable of engaging through the compelling loop of combat. Not all the mechanics are perfectly calibrated and there are sometimes minor concept naiveté, but it matters little: Sebastien and Mary's quest may win you over.
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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a monument to aviation in its broadest and most all-encompassing form. Asobo Studio restarts from the excellent base of the previous chapter to make the Redmond-based company's historic simulation even more vast, majestic and outsized. Stemming the difficulties of the early days related to the cloud infrastructure, the production now opens up with its unparalleled offering, for the first time smiling at the audience that is also looking for a more traditionally playful facility in addition to simulation as an end in itself. With the knowledge that the title will only get better with time (and become even more technically stable), there is no doubt about it: get ready to fly the skies around the world... for real.
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Farming Simulator 25 is the new iteration of the popular series developed by GIANTS Software, even richer and more complete than in the past. Complex and rewarding, if incredibly peaceful and relaxing once the mechanics are assimilated, the farming and livestock simulation reaches new heights with brand new biomes and crops, as well as a number of interesting updates and improvements. This is not a title for everyone; however, those looking for a different and relaxing experience will find a true bucolic paradise.
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Goat Simulator: Remastered is the best version to enjoy the iconic 2014 indie experience. A complete package that includes all DLC and a new look, it nevertheless stumbles clumsily in a technical realization that omits to pay attention to crucial factors that undermine its enjoyability for the general public. The remaster thus becomes a cult product exactly like its progenitor, intended for fans of the unscrupulous Pilgor goat as well as for all those able to overlook the graphics engine's performance embarrassments.
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Mario & Luigi: Brothership is yet another little gem in the impressive Nintendo Switch lineup. Acquire takes the helm of a saga born over twenty years ago on handheld consoles and successfully ferries it into 2024. Fun and multifaceted in its play proposition, the colorful new installment of the RPG adventures of the video game media's most famous plumber brothers is a must-have experience for Nintendo fans. There may be little in the way of ruolistics (apart from perhaps far too verbose dialogues), but one thing is for sure: it's really nice to experience a new odyssey with Mario and Luigi.
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The Veilguard is an incredibly complex title to evaluate, in the throes of a particularly electric launch context. On the one hand, there are the objective sacrifices made by BioWare towards some features beloved by fans of the series. On the other, one cannot fail to highlight the validity of the work done by the development team, capable of rescuing a product that over the years has been one step away from eternal oblivion. It may not please, it may infuriate longtime fans, and it may disappoint those who were looking for a title similar to the never-replicated splendor of Origins. However, for those who can appreciate the good things present, the latest Dragon Age will be an enjoyable and long-lived adventure with one of the best crescendos in the history of the Canadian software house.
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Rogue Flight is the most classic of love letters. Truant Pixel's dedication is toward the rail shooters that so raged at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. However, the end result proved to be much more concrete than a simple nostalgia operation. As frenetic as it is explosive but always and consistently galvanizing, Nadia's adventure is a little gem of game design thanks in part to an art department that pays homage to great classics of Japanese animation. Let yourself be enraptured by the pure arcade experience: it's worth it.
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Sonic X Shadow Generations is a package simply not to be missed. In addition to giving new luster to one of the most appreciated chapters dedicated to the blue hedgehog, the SEGA operation also conveys a darting, never-before-seen adventure dedicated to the charismatic black hedgehog. An outstanding ride at times, showcasing the full potential, as yet uncertainly explored, of the series in its three-dimensional incarnation. Two titles for the cost of one (actually less, given the budget price) for one of the best platformers of recent years. Unmissable.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 manages in one fell swoop to erase the bitterness left by the last chapters in the series. A far from trivial achievement, achieved thanks to a surprising campaign (in a good way, thankfully), a wide-ranging Zombie mode and a solidly reliable multiplayer package. Perhaps it is precisely this last part that shows some intolerance, thanks to a less than exciting launch offer on the side of the available modes as well as the initial maps strangely less inspired than what Treyarch has historically proposed. For all fans of the series as well as especially for those who have put it aside over the years or have never approached it, rest assured. Activision's covert operations have hit the jackpot.
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Dreams confirms, once again, how much the real videogame dimension of The Smurfs is in platforming. The talented developers at Ocellus Studio produce a fun, colorful and idea-packed title suitable for both the very young and more seasoned gamers. The sources of inspiration are obvious, but instead of being lazily repurposed, they are instead paid homage to with creativity, sagacity, courage and expertise. A little fall 2024 surprise, as well as another great production dedicated to the little blue men born from the imagination of Belgian artist Peyo.
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The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication is a well-structured horror game that builds on the lessons of its predecessor to deliver a concise but intense experience. While not shining in particular playful solutions accomplice to a basic gameplay, the night of terror inside the mysterious Taiwanese Wen Hua University is nevertheless graced by a well-conceived and structured plot. An engaging and anxiety-provoking experience that confirms the potential of this series.
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Revenge of the Seven is the unexpected remake that allows contemporary audiences to enjoy one of the most peculiar and futuristic JPRGs of its time. Romancing SaGa 2 returns in this new guise in fine form, thanks to an operation that improves and clarifies the more refined and complex mechanics of the original title. Its particularities make it unmissable for fans of the genre, who cannot fail to appreciate its audacity. Beware, however: those looking for a traditional experience (ludically and narratively) may find themselves faced with a complex title to decipher and appreciate.
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