Andrei Dumitrescu's Reviews
Chained Echoes is a deep JRPG that will satisfy fans of the genre but is easy enough to understand to attract novices. The combat system, centered Overdrive balancing, is interesting and pretty fast for the genre. The universe, with its mix of influences and retro presentation, offers plenty of secrets and details.
Football Manager 2023 is as solid from the mechanics' point of view as any of its predecessors. Working out tactical problems is as engaging as ever. Winning championships, or even avoiding relegation as the right team, is thrilling.
A Little to the Left is one of the most comfortable video games I have played in a while. The puzzles are good to excellent, some with multiple solutions, all with attached easy-to-use hints, complete with the options to simply move on to the next. But the game shines because it nails the presentation and connects it so deeply to its puzles.
Moon Studios has not yet announced future plans, but the fact that they worked with Microsoft to create and launch the Definitive Edition for their first title means that gamers should be excited about their future projects.
The Banner Saga 2 is a great purchase for all those who love complex storytelling or turn-based battles, and I cannot wait to see how Stoic Games tweak the formula of the game in the final title of the trilogy.
Insomniac Games has done a great job of taking the best elements of the original while upgrading both the gameplay and the graphics in order to appeal to modern players.
The Paradox title remains one of the most engaging strategy experiences of the moment, the kind of video game that can occupy hundreds of hours of playtime and can drive gamers to become interested in real-world history linked to the countries that they choose to lead in the video game.
The company would do well to deliver both Pack 2 and Pack 3 of the Nova Covert Ops for Starcraft 2 at the same time, even if players have to wait a little longer for it, and to also find interesting ways to tweak the mechanics of the franchise to make the missions unique and solid enough to support a new major storyline.
This is a game centered around learning, and even if the teacher can sometimes be punishing in its approach, I like encountering the challenges that From Software has created and then working through them, even if it takes time, tears and frustration, because there's no better feeling than to see a boss falling, cheer and then prepare for the future knowing that the next one will be even harder to deal with.
Ska Studios clearly loves Dark Souls and Salt and Sanctuary is a very effective love letter that can appeal both to long-term fans of that series and to players who simply want to feel challenge in a world that's filled with mystery and clever opponents.
The new Hitman carefully mixes drama, comedy, action and a well-designed location to create a world that the player will enjoy discovering and a variety of systems that are great to interact with and even break, and we can only hope that the other coming missions deliver on the promise of this first episode.
The Division is an ambitious game when it comes to the world it creates and its mechanics, for both cooperative play and Player versus Player, are solid and engaging but much of its future will depend on how Ubisoft caters to the needs of the community and to the unique ways in which players come to enjoy this beautiful and derelict world of New York.
Wales Interactive clearly has great ideas, but Soul Axiom shows that the company needs to focus a little more on execution to make sure that they unlock their true potential for the public.
Playing SUPERHOT is fun even when I constantly fail because I know the game is now cheating in any way and that next time I have a chance to be more stylish, better prepared, smarter and faster to reach a new high score in Endless Mode or deal with another of the challenges.
The Flame in the Flood has a unique style, offers some great decisions and can keep a fan of the roguelike engaged for many hours, but it might need a little more refinement before it can also draw in other types of players, despite its hugely attractive art and music.
Far Cry Primal is a good video game that's part of an overexposed series, and it will disappoint all those who want to see something unique coming from Ubisoft, although it has plenty of great moments to offer.
Cities: Skylines - Snowfall is a good expansion for dedicated fans of the city builder genre who have seen everything that the core game and the After Dark expansion have to offer regarding gameplay.
Pillars of Eternity: The White March in its entirety represents a worthy expansion for the classic role-playing experience that Obsidian has created and shows how the studio can tackle other regions of Eora in the future.
Firewatch shows how a good combination of narrative, character interactions, exploration, and visuals can create a unique experience that keeps gamers engaged despite the limits of the actual gameplay.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 could have tried to be a little more accessible for those who are not yet in love with the Naruto canon but even they will be impressed by the combat sequences and intrigued to find out more about the main cast of characters.