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Gianluca Arena


Favorite Games:

281 games reviewed
76.7 average score
79 median score
60.1% of games recommended
May 19, 2023

Despite the discreet work done by Falcom and NIS America on the PS5 version of Ys IX Monstrum Nox, we are forced to recommend players who already own the PS4 copy of the game to "settle" for the free patch that brings the one to 60 fps, instead of buying from scratch the one reviewed here.

Review in Italian | Read full review

May 18, 2023

On the one hand, it might seem that there is nothing particularly wrong with the 145 new cards of the Festival of Legends, on the other hand the latest expansion of Hearthstone is stained perhaps with the most serious sin, that of having slipped into indifference just a month after launch, due to very few new archetypes introduced in the meta game and in the almost total absence of them in the most significant rungs of the ladder in Standard mode.

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7 / 10.0 - Redfall
May 2, 2023

Redfall shows some good ideas (especially in its level design), but they are not enough to compete with the brilliant previous works that Arkane gave birth to.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Apr 24, 2023

We did not like the distribution method, and in hindsight the price of the package could be a bit high for certain audiences, yet it is difficult to keep the pout at Square Enix and this Pixel Remaster. The efforts made to make thirty-year-old games enjoyable is evident and the result is that the compilation not only retains an enormous historical value, but also an equally impressive playful value.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Apr 24, 2023

We did not like the distribution method, and in hindsight the price of the package could be a bit high for certain audiences, yet it is difficult to keep the pout at Square Enix and this Pixel Remaster. The efforts made to make thirty-year-old games enjoyable is evident and the result is that the compilation not only retains an enormous historical value, but also an equally impressive playful value.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Apr 24, 2023

We did not like the distribution method, and in hindsight the price of the package could be a bit high for certain audiences, yet it is difficult to keep the pout at Square Enix and this Pixel Remaster. The efforts made to make thirty-year-old games enjoyable is evident and the result is that the compilation not only retains an enormous historical value, but also an equally impressive playful value.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Apr 24, 2023

We did not like the distribution method, and in hindsight the price of the package could be a bit high for certain audiences, yet it is difficult to keep the pout at Square Enix and this Pixel Remaster. The efforts made to make thirty-year-old games enjoyable is evident and the result is that the compilation not only retains an enormous historical value, but also an equally impressive playful value.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Apr 24, 2023

We did not like the distribution method, and in hindsight the price of the package could be a bit high for certain audiences, yet it is difficult to keep the pout at Square Enix and this Pixel Remaster. The efforts made to make thirty-year-old games enjoyable is evident and the result is that the compilation not only retains an enormous historical value, but also an equally impressive playful value.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Apr 24, 2023

We did not like the distribution method, and in hindsight the price of the package could be a bit high for certain audiences, yet it is difficult to keep the pout at Square Enix and this Pixel Remaster. The efforts made to make thirty-year-old games enjoyable is evident and the result is that the compilation not only retains an enormous historical value, but also an equally impressive playful value.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Apr 19, 2023

Artistic direction aside, Advance Wars 1+2 Reboot Camp is a great remake, that shine a new light on two classic strategic games not forgotten by true fans. There's plenty of content here and a rock solid gameplay, so it's easy to recommend this package to both seasoned players and newcomers. We sincerely hope the F-Zero franchise is next in line now.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8 / 10.0 - Dead Island 2
Apr 18, 2023

Dead Island 2 it's a hell of a surprise, considering the long and difficult development cycle: it's fun, it's deep and has a lot of content, and the FLESH system is a great idea. A successful reboot for the people at Dambuster Studios.

Review in Italian | Read full review

It's hard to dislike a collection like this, with ten games (actually six, but it's a lot of content nonetheless) that still hold their own thanks to a solid and original battle system and a right difficulty level. The game are maybe too similar to one another, but they're still enjoyable, expecially in portable mode on the Nintendo Switch.

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Apr 9, 2023

Batora is extremely enjoyable on Nintendo Switch, with all the previously released content ready to go from the start.

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8.3 / 10.0 - Dredge
Apr 3, 2023

It's impossible not to get caught in Dredge's clutches: supernatural horror, dry and fascinating narrative and an intoxicating gameplay loop make Black Salt Games' first effort an indie to remember.

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Mar 31, 2023

GrimGrimoire OnceMore is a perfect entry point for all the newcomers of the genre, given its light structure and small arenas, but it also offers a decent challenge in its later stages. It's beauty is undeniable even sixteen years after its original release, but on Switch there are much better choices.

Review in Italian | Read full review

The only slice of the public that could still enjoy the complete package and technical improvements is represented by those who only own PS5 or Xbox Series X, but even to the latter we recommend waiting for the first, inevitable price drop and at least a couple of other improvement patches.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Mar 21, 2023

Even though the Switch version is the less attractive of the bunch, Remnant from the Ashes remains a solid effort from Gunfire Games and an original spin on the Souls formula. We're curious to see what the studio will come come up with the second chapter.

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5.5 / 10.0 - Mato Anomalies
Mar 15, 2023

There's clearly passion and commitment behind Mato Anomalies, which is a strange container of a lot of ideas. The problem is that none of these is properly developed, and, unfortunately, the final result is even less than the sum of its parts.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Project Zero Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is probably one of the best episodes in the long-running horror franchise, and even if this remaster leaves something to be desired, it does not fail in brin bringing anxiety and disturbing matters to new audiences.

Review in Italian | Read full review

This is just the seconda half of the same game played six months ago on the same platform, and, as such, si a solid and perfectly enjoyable old style JRPG with some rough edges and little courage. If you love the saga overall, it cannot be missed.

Review in Italian | Read full review