Football Manager 2024 is the usual and immense sports management that has delighted football fans for years. While waiting for the announced revolution next year, the current edition is confirmed as a chapter of mere transition: as always, there is no lack of content and the small changes are extremely precise and timely. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that the series has arrived at the long-awaited moment of turning a new leaf. While we wait to find out what's cooking in the Sports Interactive studios, the 2024 edition will satisfy all aspiring coaches.
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Persona 5 Tactica is yet another Atlus experiment, again playing with some of its most beloved characters by jumping this time into the world of strategy games. The end result is once again an excellent title, skillfully blending paradigms of the genre with the series' classic twist. Mature themes, thoughtful art direction and fun gameplay are the calling cards of the production, which nevertheless features a difficulty curve that is far too friendly to fans of tacticians, dialogues that are perhaps too verbose and a decurbed exploration. Despite the inexperience, therefore, P-Studio succeeds in the big score: Phantom Thieves wins again.
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The Pale Reach is one more chance to spend some time among the perilous waters of DREDGE. The expansion offers a new biome, a mysterious predator, equipment to exploit and mysteries to solve... In short, everything we loved the Black Salt Games signed production for. Some may complain about a certain redundancy with the launch content or the presence of some mechanics that are not fully exploited. Or even the poor longevity of the DLC. However, we find very few reasons to criticize a work of this quality, offered at a decidedly honest price tag. Cover yourself well, the icy currents could be fatal.
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NARUTO X BORUTO Ultimate Ninja STORM CONNECTIONS is a complex title to analyze. It represents an encyclopedic production of Kishimoto's work, with one of the largest rosters seen in the fighting genre, plentiful content, and an obvious focus on fans. If it is compared to the previous chapters, however, it unfortunately inherits the same criticisms as its predecessor with an even more risque and drab story, further simplified gameplay, and an atavistic lack of novelty. Those who have never approached the series might see the latest CyberConnect2 effort as an interesting package. Paradoxically, however, fans of the leaf ninja in particular might be left with a bitter taste in their mouths.
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Teardown, needless to deny it, is a decidedly fascinating production. The ability to integrally shape the game world with one's actions is a concept that is the preserve of very few other titles. Tuxedo Labs thus marks, in this sense, a great milestone for independent productions by giving a rewarding and layered experimentation. At the same time, the more exquisitely playful components are not as captivating partly because of an immediacy that is not always ideal. The result is a title as entertaining as it is susceptible to quickly becoming boring depending on your answer to the question: how much do you like destruction?
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Jusant left us with mixed feelings. On the one hand, Don't Nod's work is a breath of fresh air with magnetic gameplay, fabulous art direction, and an equally splendid soundtrack. On the other, however, it shows obvious shortcomings in the final part, where there is a strong suspicion of an unfortunately rushed development. A real pity, because with the right timing and more homogeneity in the expansion of the game design we would be talking about a small masterpiece. As it is, however, Jusant remains a diamond in the rough, to be enjoyed even at the cost of a bittersweet taste arrived at the end credits.
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Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name once again confirms all the skills of the Ryu ga Gotoku Team, which is capable of delivering great titles at an astonishing pace and without quality drops. The return of Kazuma Kiryu as Agent Joryu constitutes an unmissable new chapter, at once memorable and poignant by virtue of a high-level script. Despite a below-average longevity for the saga (but still keeping you busy for at least twenty hours), the care put into each piece of content will delight any fan. A title to absolutely grab.
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Rather rarely do licensed titles based on cartoon IPs manage to push their conceptual boundaries and become something more. Fortunately, The Smurfs 2: The Prisoner of the Green Stone is a pleasant exception. OSome Studio makes a fun, generous and lighthearted action platformer that is as suitable for the very young as it is for more seasoned players. Not all elements turn out to be flawless and some structural oversights exist, but one thing is certain: the Smurfs have found a very interesting road to travel, which hopefully can be further explored and expanded in the future.
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Almost ten years after its illustrious predecessor, Croteam manages to outdo itself. The Talos Principle 2 is a wonderful adventure, elegantly blending intricate puzzles and philosophical themes. The resulting play experience is of great depth, taking players by the hand through the satisfaction of puzzle solving and reflection on big existential questions. A great little masterpiece of the genre, which perhaps precisely because of its peculiarities (and the absence of an Italian translation), may lose appeal to the general public. Trust us, however: the riddles of Prometheus are well worth the effort.
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Star Ocean: The Second Story R is not just the return of a great classic in JRPG history. Nor is it merely its definitive version, which revolutionizes the visual presentation and enriches the play system with great little finesses. Above all, the work done by Gemdrops is a true manifesto of what should be done to make a work-of-art remake that preserves the original spirit while embellishing and modernizing every single element. If you are a fan of the genre, you have no excuse not to play it. If you are not, well, it may be the right opportunity to get closer to this fantastic world.
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WarioWare: Move It! has unquestionable merits. It can be hilarious, the activities are at times ingenious and in company it will know how to give you moments of genuine desecrating degradation. However, the brand's return does not solve some of the series' own limitations, chief among them an atavistic lack of content (especially over distance) as well as a virtually nonexistent longevity for those who will want to play solo. Aware of all this, the new Nintendo production is, in all likelihood, one of the best choices for a goliardic evening with friends as well as a wonderfully crazy party game.
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There are titles that sometimes fly so under the radar that they end up showing up with an exclamation point on their date with audiences and critics: such is the case with SUPER CRAZY RHYTHM CASTLE. Seemingly little more than a party game, the Konami title is instead a crazy rhythm adventure capable of blending good music and irresistible puzzles, providing many hours of fun and surprises. It doesn't matter if you plan to play it solo or with friends: the production always manages to rise to the occasion. A few smears and a difficulty that is not always perfectly balanced persist, but rest assured: if you are looking for a rhythmic and unpredictable title to experience while smiling, this is the right title to consider.
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EA Sports WRC represents an excellent augury for all fans of the genre and beyond. Codemasters returns to rally racing with a rich and multifaceted title, capable of offering not only enviable longevity but also, and more importantly, a fantastic driving feel. As capable of being adapted to more arcade tastes as it is of embracing a more pure simulation, rally according to EA knows how to be galvanizing and fully satisfying, as long as you accept the rougher corners of the sport and the technical realization, which stumbles at the current state in a few slips. Get ready to get dirty, the clock is ticking!
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Dave The Diver is a serious contender for the title of best indie production of 2023. The South Korean team MINTROCKET makes a fresh work, capable of making contrasting flavors and tastes coexist in harmony, as in the best sushi you've ever had. A little bit RPG adventure, a little bit roguelite, a little bit management, and a little bit many other things. An amazing mix, capable of being shining example of how the whole is more than the sum of its individual parts. Outstanding.
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Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story confirms the full potential of the imagery created by Riot Games. A sincere and fun action adventure that takes us by the hand into the frozen lands of the Freljord for a coming-of-age tale of a child with his yeti friend. Drawing heavily from vintage ludic solutions, the Tequila Works production works and entertains, regardless of a downwardly calibrated difficulty and poor replayability. Get ready to set off along with Nunu and Willump: the journey will be worth it.
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Rarely have we seen a title released at a more unfortunate time than Sonic Superstars. Despite the risk of being literally strangled between historical rivals and stellar productions, the blue hedgehog's new adventure succeeds in the feat of carving out a moment of fame thanks to solid gameplay, stellar level design and enviable variety. It's also a great little payback for the Azarest team, whose goodwill is evident while stumbling over the introduction of some less-than-perfectly optimized ideas (chief among them, the multiplayer compartment and the absence of some small quality-of-life touches). Wear the red shoes and watch out for the rings: Eggman must be stopped!
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Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 takes the best features of its predecessor and improves virtually every aspect of it. The result is a distinctly arcade and delightfully fast racing game, saturated with content and love for the Mattel brand born back in 1968. Even those who are not fans of the models will be able to find cues of genuine, light-hearted fun. Just its jaunty soul might turn some people's noses up, along with some smears to the vehicle collision system. For everyone else, the message is clear: Milestone has hit the jackpot again.
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NHL 24 is the new iteration of EA Sports' traditionally more experimental series. With this edition, the development team does not deviate from the path it has taken over the years, bringing to the plate a title that is rich, extremely accessible and demonstrably fun. Of course, like all annual sports games, the innovative scope is not as pronounced as one would have hoped. However, the greatest achievement is precisely having managed to convey the sensations of such a fast-paced sport, thanks to the ideas introduced with the Exhaust Engine and beyond. A title that is therefore recommended for all field hockey lovers, but also (and especially) for those who want to approach the rink for the first time.
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Disgaea 7 succeeds in lifting the Nippon Ichi saga from the progressive torpor of the last few chapters. While not revolutionizing anything of its fundamental structure, Vows of the Virtueless consolidates the best of the saga's features into a genuinely entertaining product. In doing so it mixes into an already by nature overflowing cauldron an inviting number of new features. Between Jumbification and item reincarnation, the brand's new installment enriches its complexity, promising a very high number of hours of wholesome strategic entertainment. Fortunately, Disgaea is back.
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The Crew Motorfest marks an arguably inevitable change for the brand. Leaving behind the American moors (which turned out to be not so rich in opportunity), Ivory West revolutionizes the series by taking us to a motor festival on Hawaiian soil. The sources of inspirations to other masterpieces of the genre are definitely evident but the end result, while not shining in originality and despite some structural issues, is a fun and exuberant ride among the natural beauty of the island of Oahu. Has Ubisoft's arcade series found its way?
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