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João Duarte

Loulé
The_Atmultima
OPAH!!gaming

Favorite Games:
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  • Final Fantasy III
  • Dark Souls

34 games reviewed
65.3 average score
70 median score
41.2% of games recommended

João Duarte's Reviews

I'm just some dude with a dream of entertaining people by talking about videogames. My favorite genre is JRPG, I love Zelda and Dragon Quest, I want to play Breath of the Wild so much and I hate David Cage.
May 30, 2016

Super Meat Boy is one of the most marvelously-crafted and designed platform games to have been released in the current century. With its rich and varied levels, multiple motivations to keep playing, magnificent gameplay and fine-tuned difficulty curve, there's little standing in the way of Super Meat Boy to be one of the most memorable platform games to have been released in the last few years.

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9 / 10 - Hollow Knight
Aug 6, 2018

Hollow Knight is not just another Matroidvania, it's a whole experience that everyone should try. With its immense exploration, fine controls, marvelous audiovisual component and subtle but well-written plot, Hollow Knight is full of reasons why everyone should give this indie game not just an opportunity but a time of their lives.

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Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Special Episode is a marvelous, if unexpected, surprise that extends the original game by nearly one third of its length and which brings an additional set of high quality challenges that make the game even more enjoyable. This Special Episode is a timely reminder of why Nintendo should invest more in DLC for its games.

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Jul 11, 2018

Thanks to its marvelous level design, camera orientation and delightful audiovisual presentation, Captain Toad is certain to bring some very welcome charm and fun to the growing catalogue of the Nintendo Switch.

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Mar 15, 2018

Darkest Dungeon is a game that does not go easy on any aspect. Demanding, tough and frustrating on many occasions, it's also very well designed and executed and while it clearly isn't for everyone, it will find its place with many players out there. The most difficult elements include the game's random nature and how on many moments they just feel like they have no reason to be whereas its atmosphere and presentation are worthy of every praise.

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Nov 15, 2016

Pokémon Sun & Moon are among the best entries in the series and while it doesn't break any significant new grounds, Game Freak's latest opus adds an additional layer of strategic planning to the gameplay and features a beautiful audiovisual environment topped with the series' best plot so far. It's not very clear where Poké Finder fits in and the performance is less on par in the original 3DS but the Pokémon series is definitely showing that it's still alive and kicking...and worthy of the players' attention.

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8 / 10 - Dead Cells
Sep 3, 2018

Dead Cells is a unique work that combines metroidvania and roguelike elements, and while that may sound paradoxical at first, Dead Cells found a way to make it work, even if it's not perfect. Thanks to its gameplay cycles, it will be possible to build up a sizeable arsenal while repeating procedurally generated levels with plenty of enjoyment and the game's fluid and fun combat system make this an involving and very entertaining experience.

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Link's Awakening returns, this time under the guise of a marvelous-looking game for the Nintendo Switch with plenty of new content, a very improved item system that brings its gameplay to our days, and a higher difficulty level that does wonders for its level of challenge. The new Chamber Dungeon component ends up delivering less than it promised but the overall experience is not affected and this new version of Link's Awakening instantly becomes a new classic and the ultimate incarnation of one of Zelda's most beloved games.

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Nov 14, 2019

Warlock's Tower is a simple-looking but challenge-packed puzzle game that will easily attract players with its level design and fine tuned difficulty. The game will quickly welcome players into its mechanics and even if it's not the most original puzzle game ever made, there's enough here to keep the player with the eyes locked on the Nintendo Switch.

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Under Night In-Birth: EXE Lat [cl-r] doesn't roll off easily but it doesn't mean this is not a wonderful fighting game. Thanks to its array of characters, a fine-tuned combo system (which admittedly can get frustrating at moments) and an eye-popping audiovisual world, this is an experience that easily amounts to the definitive version of this game and which will quickly become a favourite within the competitive fighting game communities.

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Jun 17, 2022

Move or Die: Unleashed does what its title says: if players don't move, they'll die. Simple to learn, simple to look at, but frantic to play, Move or Die: Unleashed consists of several action minigames and while it can be played solo, it's on multiplayer, both local and online, that Move or Die: Unleashed really turns out at its best. It's not a technical achievement but everyone looking for a simple package that can provide hours of crazy fun will find every minute spent with Move or Die: Unleashed to be worth down to each second.

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7 / 10 - Rogue Legacy
Dec 29, 2018

Rogue Legacy may not be the typical roguelike game but that doesn't mean there no advantages to that. In fact, this game goes beyond some of the genre's usual formulas and in a good way, allowing for some liberties with the progression that bring an additional level of motivation, even though some of the roguelikes' typical problems can still be found here.

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Sep 27, 2016

Quest of Dungeons may not be a groundbreaking game or an instant classic but it does its job: it's a fun dungeon crawler, with good skills and combat systems and a visual style which will fit perfectly with the nostalgic crowd.

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7 / 10 - ChromaGun
Jan 23, 2018

While not being the perfect child of its inspirational father, ChromaGun brings forth a very well executed mechanic and some very compelling puzzles that will put the player's wits and creativity to the test. Its audiovisual component could certainly be improved and the game is lacking as far as the atmosphere is concerned but fans of creative puzzle games have something to explore.

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Dark Souls: Remastered has the ambition of bringing one of the most influential games of the previous generation to a contemporary audience and it gets part of the job right on its Nintendo Switch incarnation. All the main elements are there and the bonus of playing Dark Souls on the go is very appealing, which is certainly a relief from its poor audio performance and an obvious visual downgrading when compared to the other versions of the same remaster. Nevertheless and despite its flaws, this is still a major piece of gaming that Nintendo players finally get to enjoy.

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Jul 17, 2019

Strikey Sisters delivers a known formula which has been entertaining players for over forty years now and it simply doesn't get old. A competent, fun and challenging game is what Strike Sisters players will find, despite its unnecessary plot and dialogues. But who needs to pay attention to those when they can enjoy such a well executed gameplay experience, whether solo or multiplayer?

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Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX is what comes next in the Azure Striker Gunvolt series and it should be said, it's a very good work at keeping the banner high. With a frantic, high-paced yet simple and accessible gameplay, Luminous Avenger iX brings the best of the series to the Nintendo Switch and will charm the fans of the Gunvolt franchise and its retro inspirations, despite a rather unpolished soundtrack and inconsistent boss fights.

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Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX 2 does not represent any major departures compared to its predecessor, and if that may sound negative it's also not necessarily harmful - after all, the gameplay mechanics remain fun and well executed, the boss fights are very challenging, and the game's presentation is a marvel to look at. The plot is without a doubt the game's biggest flaw, and even though action-platformers are usually given a pass when it comes to the plot, it would be good in this case if the story could feature less often. With all that said, Luminous Avenger iX 2 is great fun and fans of both the original and the Mega Man X series will find plenty to enjoy here.

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Oct 9, 2022

The third chapter in the Azure Striker Gunvolt series takes few risks with its formula and mostly uses familiar elements that most players will recognize. This does not mean there aren't any new features, and the way the two main characters are used shows just that. When it comes to most of its experience though, it's very reminiscent of its preceding chapters, and that can only be good when it comes to frantic gameplay and an exquisite game world. Pity for the difficulty level though, as Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 really is as simple and accessible as it can be.

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Sep 25, 2023

Tormented Souls draws heavily from the first Resident Evil games to create a horror experience whose atmosphere, presentation and level design are spot on. At the same time, several of its puzzles seem nonsensical, the performance is rather irregular, and the game has a dearth of new and original ideas, while its lighting mechanic is far from a good implementation. While Tormented Souls is overall a good game, it falls short of expectations for those who hoped for something more.

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