Alessandro Barbosa Avatar Image

Alessandro Barbosa

Johannesburg

Favorite Games:
  • Journey
  • Portal 2
  • Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped

171 games reviewed
72.5 average score
75 median score
60.0% of games recommended

Alessandro Barbosa's Reviews

Writer. Engineer. Designer. Videogames included with all options.

When it’s hitting the highs you expect from a PC Port, Gears of War Ultimate Edition is simply the best way to experience Delta Squad’s first mission. But its unavoidable lows keep it from being an easy recommendation.

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Mar 17, 2016

The Division is a strong start for a game that Ubisoft is clearly aiming to keep alive for a long time. It gleefully fulfills promises instead of just making them, even if some of its later elements fall prey to the inevitable wait for more content.

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9 / 10.0 - Quantum Break
Apr 1, 2016

Quantum Break is another example of Remedy Entertainment sticking to what they know, and doing it better than anyone else. An engrossing adventure with a captivating story. experimentation with new mediums for telling stories in games and refined third-person gameplay to match. Quantum Break isn't optional, it's essential.

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6.9 / 10.0 - Star Fox Zero
Apr 20, 2016

While Star Fox Zero offers up some exhilarating dogfights with a unique control scheme that actually makes motion controls work, its highest highs are let down all too frequently by repetitive, mundane on-rails segments that sour the freedom that the game gives you in short bursts.

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May 25, 2016

Kirby: Planet Robobot might be easy, but it’s an equally satisfying platformer to play on the go with the 3DS. It’s an adventure that the round pick hero begs you to join him on, and you’d be hard pressed to be dissatisfied with the journey.

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Jun 6, 2016

XCOM 2: Alien Hunters is a clever piece of DLC that serves to entertain the most hardcore XCOM 2 fans around. With fundamental shifts to traditional gameplay and a new set of enemies to deal with, it’s an easy recommendation for those still trying to reclaim Earth.

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9.5 / 10.0 - INSIDE
Jul 7, 2016

Inside is a game that simply has to be experienced. Its mystery filled dystopian world is brought to life expertly through tight, thoughtful design, masterful art direction and sublime sound design. Inside isn’t like many other games, because not many others can do so perfectly what it does regularly.

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7.5 / 10.0 - Bound
Aug 15, 2016

A gorgeous platformer with an exceptionally unique protagonist and powerful narrative, Bound offers up all the elements of a compelling title that fits in with the growing list of games reaching for high art. It confusion about whether to fully commit to this is sadly to its own detriment though, sullying the underlying message and begging the question of what could’ve been.

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6.5 / 10.0 - No Man's Sky
Aug 16, 2016

No Man’s Sky is sadly one of the more disappointing games of the year, mixing small moments of grand wonder with inescapable hours of tedious, boring survival gameplay. If you’re willing to fight through that, there’s a game here for you. But it’s often not worth the effort

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8 / 10.0 - Gears of War 4
Oct 6, 2016

Gears of War 4 is a satisfying, if not overly familiar, return to some of the series’ best beats. A distinctly dark campaign dishes out welcome surprises and disappointing repeats in equal measure, while its refined Horde mode and thoroughly engaging multiplayer round off a package that any franchise fan should be happy to rev through.

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7 / 10.0 - Mafia 3
Oct 11, 2016

Mafia III is a flawed game at times, but an equalling captivating one in others. It's repetitive gameplay loops and standard mechanics hide an engrossing tale grounded by top of the class performances. It's a tale that pays off in closing, if only just barely.

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8.9 / 10.0 - XCOM 2
Oct 18, 2016

XCOM 2 manages to improve a formula that had almost nothing wrong with it to begin with, adding a sense of urgency to the already unpredictable nature of its turn-based combat. It's a rewarding experience, if not sometimes cruelly unfair.

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8 / 10.0 - Watch Dogs 2
Nov 24, 2016

Watch Dogs 2 manages to improve on almost every point that made its predecessor so disappointing. It’s a more robust open-world game, packed with meaningful content and mechanics that beg the player to experiment and toy with them. Though it still hangs onto some facets a little too tightly, this is one sequel that manages to make its opening act seem like a mistake best left forgotten.

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Nov 30, 2016

Super Mario Maker is every bit the engrossing, feature rich creation tool that it is on the Wii U, but only if you plan on sharing your creations with a very limited pool of people. Its lack of real course-sharing rips out the heart of what made this title so captivating on the Wii U, making it a clear second best choice.

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Dec 5, 2016

Despite its lingering flaws and often frustrating pacing, The Last Guardian rises above expectation to deliver an engrossing adventure. Team Ico have brought together everything they've learnt over their past two games to present a heartfelt tale wrapped in an often-bewildering platformer – even if it took nearly a decade to make it here.

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Feb 1, 2017

Although it picks up some unfortunate compromises along the way, Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World is every bit the engrossing, expertly designed platformer that it was on the Wii U. It’s a challenging and equally rewarding title, with enough options to captivate both the casual onlooker and die-hard platforming fan just itching for a new test. Even if the dust has settled, this is a game to brush it off your 3DS for.

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6.5 / 10.0 - For Honor
Feb 20, 2017

At its core, For Honor is a stunningly great game with exhilarating combat the likes of which are hardly seen. But it’s crippled by online issues that reduce its core multiplayer to a frustrating mess.

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Mar 1, 2017

Horizon Zero Dawn is a love letter to the finer details, as they reinvigorate an open-world setting in startling ways. Its tight combat and engrossing world are icing on a package that just shines from all angles, making it an easy recommendation to not only play on PS4, but to buy one in the first place.

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6 / 10.0 - Yooka Laylee
Apr 4, 2017

Yooka-Laylee is a nostalgic trip to the past that ignores all the innovations that came after it. There's an appeal to return to a bygone era of platforming, but it's quickly washed away with long stretches of tedious, boring gameplay, and a sense of wit that thinks it's far smarter than it really is.

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6.5 / 10.0 - Mr. Shifty
Apr 18, 2017

Mr Shifty makes an incredibly strong first impression with its unique teleporting twist on top-down brawling action. But it's a game that overstays its welcome, with a dry well of ideas that struggle to evolve past their basic premise.

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