Wander Stars is a little surprise. I really liked the idea of "do-it-yourself" moves, as well as the desire to draw inspiration from classic '90s shonen games for the graphics. Sure, the story is intentionally more linear and action-oriented than deep exploration, and the lack of voice acting can be felt. The true heart of the experience remains the innovative, turn-based, word-based combat system. The mechanic of combining words to build and launch custom attacks is a brilliant idea. Likewise, the fact that you gain honor by not knocking out your opponent fits well with the universe and philosophy behind Wander Stars.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree offers a lengthy campaign, consisting of single runs that are perhaps too long by roguelite standards. The plot has some memorable moments, but the narrative based on time jumps makes it chaotic and difficult to understand, especially as it skips some secondary dialogue. It's still an enjoyable story that alternates between funny and sad moments, accompanied by a truly impressive Japanese voice acting. Combat is fun and dynamic, with many possible combinations thanks to the eight available characters. While village management is much more complex, the forge in particular could have been better managed with fewer steps to make it more straightforward.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Echoes of the End is an experience worth trying for its untapped potential and the beauty of its settings. The combat system works well with its magic system, but it presents several technical issues that are difficult to ignore. The environmental puzzles and exploration deserve a shout-out, cleverly breaking up an otherwise monotonous adventure. We hope that, in a possible sequel, the team can raise the bar and reach its full potential.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Baki Hanma Blood Arena is a gamble that offers very little and fails to achieve a passing grade. Aside from the atmosphere, masterfully rendered by the team, the rest of the game presents several difficult-to-fill flaws. The combat system is interesting, but at the same time it's unnerving because it requires you to memorize every single enemy pattern. The main problem, however, is when completely random elements are added without any explanation, especially in a fighting game where practice and knowledge of the core mechanics are a must.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Everybody's Golf Hot Shots is a welcomed return to the series. The gameplay is easy, immediate, and fun, yet also difficult to master at higher levels. What left me perplexed was the graphics and technical aspects, which lacked in every way. It could and should have been better, especially since its predecessor is much more refined in this. It's still a solid title if you're looking for an arcade golf experience.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Shantae Advance Risky Revolution isn't just a game, it's a piece of gaming history finally coming to life. For longtime fans, it's a unique opportunity to play a lost chapter of the saga. For new players, it's a great introduction to the world of Shantae, with its Metroidvania gameplay, unique art style, and lighthearted humor.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The bizarre shooter developed by Velan Studio is an ambitious title that seeks to stand out from the mass of PvP games that have been saturating the market for a few years now. Midnight Murder Club is an interesting game, capable of entertaining, especially with friends. Unfortunately, due to its limitations, primarily due to the lack of a strong community, it fails to fully express itself, making matches too similar to each other, which inevitably leads to monotony over time.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Demon Slayer The Hinokami Chronicles 2 is a more of the same that will please fans who enjoyed the first game. The story mode is certainly the strong point of this chapter, but I must admit that I would have expected more variety, especially in the exploratory phases which are rather slow and monotonous. The combat system remains solid, striking a good balance between fun and variety. It clearly doesn't aim to be an extremely competitive title, but it still manages to be more entertaining than you'd expect from an arena fighter. A few additional modes to further explore the gameplay wouldn't have hurt.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Scar-Lead Salvation is the perfect example of how NOT to treat the theme of time loops. The narrative turns out to be flat and unstimulating, failing to express the potential of this expedient. The gunplay is repetitive and poorly calibrated, weighing down the shooting phases. The environments lack originality, with rooms that are all the same. The enemies, then, are anonymous and constantly repeat themselves, varying only in color and the weapon they use. The bosses try to break this monotony in some way, but the path to follow to reach them turns out to be tedious, in addition to the fact that they are three in total. Scar-Lead Salvation tries to replicate Returnal, failing miserably.
Review in Italian | Read full review
TMNT Splintered Fate also in PS5 version turns out to be a good roguelike in Ninja Turtles style, and also among the most successful of recent years if you think about games about turtles. It is not a game for those who want to experience an exciting story, but it is mainly aimed at those looking for a satisfying gameplay experience with the possibility of playing in multiplayer, both locally and in co-op.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Death end reQuest Code Z is certainly a brave experiment but flawed in every way. The transition to roguelike gameplay is an interesting idea, but the execution leaves much to be desired, with monotonous dungeons, poorly calibrated difficulty, and a narrative that fails to match the depth of its predecessors.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost fits well with the rhythm genre and the songs proposed are many and catchy. The gameplay works, but it really requires a lot of patience to be able to manage it on the highest difficulties. Even if the Danmaku mode is poorly done, the classic gameplay is very fun and satisfying. With a few small adjustments it could become a little gem among rhythm video games.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Rusty Rabbit is a bittersweet experience. While there are glimpses of potential in some of the mechanics, the obvious shortcomings in the movement and combat systems undermine the overall enjoyment, relegating it to a title to be tackled lightly. Be aware that the game is far from perfect!
Review in Italian | Read full review
All in Abyss was a title that positively surprised me. The plot is full of twists and turns with a good characterization of the characters, aesthetically well-finished. The torture scenes may or may not be liked, but they are entirely optional. The gameplay is poker with RPG elements and this strange combination works in the game. It's so fun to play with it despite the fact that there are a few things forced behind the matches.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Phantom Breaker Battle Grounds Ultimate is a welcome return, a great gaming experience that shows its full potential in Co-op, thanks especially to its large roster. PBBGU's gameplay remains fun and rewarding, even though with some flaws given by an old design. Graphically it has been rebuild from the ground, maintaining its nature in pixel art loved by fans.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Warriors Abyss is a title that tries something new from the classic musou, but you can tell from several factors that we are dealing with a product with a limited budget: the base price is in line with low-medium cost productions (we are talking about € 24.99 for the standard version), the graphics are not particularly well-finished (even the game menu is very basic) and as a last point the fact that it was announced and released on the same day, without any advertising campaign. The duration is not particularly long either. Even if you die and start over often, to complete a single run of the game, therefore overcoming all 4 areas, it takes about 3-4 hours. Clearly with such a large roster you will stay longer, completing it several times and with always different characters. Overlooking the plot and graphics, the gameplay of Warriors Abyss is fun and suitable for short gaming sessions. If you like musou and are looking for different experiences than usual, Warriors Abyss can meet your needs. If you're looking for the original musou experience, you can always play it safe by choosing Dynasty Warriors Origins, the latest chapter in the saga.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Urban Myth Dissolution Center is an investigative title with the right balance between plot and investigation, but the total lack of challenge could be a little entertaining for those looking for a more challenging experience. The plot touches on important and profound themes, as well as being full of twists and accompanied by a truly sensational and memorable cast. Urban Myth Dissolution Center is also quite long-lasting despite being sold at a low price. In fact, we are talking about about 15 hours to complete it. I warn you right away, there is a lot of reading in Urban Myth Dissolution Center, but I have some great news for you: the game is completely subtitled in Italian. I played the title on PlayStation 5, alternating my sessions also on PS Portal. My advice is to play it in small doses, given that the gameplay is reduced to a minimum in this kind of experience and in the long run it can be cloying.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A new interpretation of the strategy genre
Review in Italian | Read full review
Not just magic and swords: in Eternal Strands, the environment itself reacts to your actions, opening up new combat possibilities.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Phantom Brave The Lost Hero marks the return of an IP that has been dormant for too long. Nippon Ichi has tried in every way to introduce the series to several generations of gamers with its re-releases. A few months after the arrival of yet another remastered on new platforms, here comes Phantom Brave The Lost Hero, the sequel that every fan has been waiting for for years now. You don't see many RPGs like Phantom Brave around, for this reason I consider it an excellent addition to your collection. The confinement system is a mechanic that, if learned well, can be really rewarding. But in addition to the confinement, NIS's latest work uses the classic turn-based RPG canons, which makes it modern in many aspects. The graphics remain more complex to judge as it uses the super deformed character technique. For me, it is a quality that can make me immediately associate this game with the others developed by NIS. However, I understand that it may be too cartoonish for many. If you can get past the graphics, though, you'll have a really complex and fun RPG on your hands.
Review in Italian | Read full review