Despite some hiccups in adapting the interface for console, Menace from the Deep: Complete Edition is an interesting blend of core Lovecraftian horror concepts with a solid foundation in turn-based combat using a deck-building system. While roguelike principles may be showing signs of wear, here it works well, even if the pace of progression can feel too slow at times.
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Even if I wanted to try ponder, this game leaves no room for any "buts." The combination of visuals and sound is a true spectacle; the narrative magically blends story, pacing, and direction; and the experience proves to be a catharsis that's hard to shake off. Mixtape is simply, without any qualifiers, a real masterpiece.
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With its revamped stealth mechanics and refined aesthetics, Directive 8020 offers a clear evolution of the genre, but continues to reaffirm some of the limitations, particularly in terms of interaction, inherited from the first season of the anthology. With excellent references, the story (along with the excellent work of the cast) remains its best quality, with good pacing, great development, and important turning points that, while not escaping old cliches, still work very well.
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Kamikaze Lassplanes makes its unusual mix of visual novel and shoot'em up its biggest selling point, but ends up suffering the consequences of trying to combine genres with such different rhythms. While its narrative has a strange premise that manages to hold up throughout the campaign, its action sequences start from a solid foundation without going much further, resulting in a touching and daring, but also inconsistent, work.
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Perhaps the biggest problem with Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred is that it ends too quickly. But by refining all the quality-of-life systems, especially in the endgame, it automatically seduces us into remaining in Sanctuary for many, many hours after the epic ending of its story. This is certainly the expansion the game needs not only to satisfactorily conclude the journey begun in 2023, but also to elevate it, as a whole, to the highest levels of the entire franchise.
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Aware of its ambitions, MOUSE: P.I. For Hire avoids delving too deeply into complex mechanics or sophisticated exploration and progression structures, but there's no doubt it manages to blend the "rubber hose" aesthetic with the creation of an undeniably immersive noir atmosphere. The audiovisual excellence, which articulates a spectacular sound design with cohesive art direction, underpins a solid first-person shooter - even if its gameplay is not very innovative - finding a good balance between inspiration and originality.
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Starfield seems to have suffered from a kind of misguided expectation syndrome two years ago when it was released, but it is definitely a true masterpiece waiting to be discovered. While it may not be perfect, especially in terms of freedom of exploration, minor graphical glitches, and fluidity of navigation between worlds, the excellent balance between precise gameplay, resource management and crafting, and a dense narrative for those with the maturity the genre demands, makes this game a true spectacle on many levels.
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Marvel MaXimum Collection revives an important chapter in the history of the publisher's adaptations prior to their rise to popularity in theaters, featuring six games with the strengths and limitations typical of their era. While the selection is interesting, the quality-of-life features could be more generous, as seen in other similar initiatives. On the other hand, the curation of supplementary material is exemplary, making the package a great option, especially for those who have an emotional connection to the works and the generation to which they belong.
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Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! captures all the aesthetic strangeness characteristic of the original 1990s film, taking the satire to a whole new level—especially when you consider the war-torn context so prevalent in today's news. With robust gameplay that blends the classic with the modern, but visuals and level design whose intentions are better than their execution, something was missing for General Rico to fully convince me to enlist.
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Perhaps John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is far from offering anything new in a market already quite saturated with cooperative shooters for up to four people against demonic enemies. But this may be its greatest virtue, as the game refines everything that came before and, as a result, offers a light, balanced and an enjoyable adventure, especially playing alongside good friends.
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Taking an interesting approach by freely drawing inspiration from well-known stories and settings, Mirage 7 offers a classic narrative exploration adventure with survival and combat elements. In this regard, it only partially achieves its goal, stumbling over outdated mechanics and unjustifiably dated aesthetic elements, which unfortunately results in a mediocre and forgettable game.
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God of War Sons of Sparta has its merits and, within the premise of a 2D action game set in Kratos' youth, it fulfills its role in a perfunctory but satisfactory way. However, it lacks depth in all its aspects, including the rather rudimentary level design by current Metroidvania standards, and even with some interesting qualities in the visual and narrative aspects, it still seems to be just a scrawny teenager trying to prove himself a true Spartan warrior.
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Even underutilizing the rich narrative universe from which it borrows iconic characters, BlazBlue Entropy Effect X is simply brilliant, overcoming the sameness that the roguelite genre has been sinking into in recent years by betting on a sharp, dynamic, and adaptive gameplay system. The diversity of characters and the cycle of entry and exit strike a rare balance between temporary bonuses and permanent improvements, which becomes a genuine invitation to an adventure that, within the precepts of the genre, knows how to seduce, keep interest high, and reward the player.
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While far from perfect, My Hero Academia: All's Justice smooths out some of the rough edges seen in its two predecessors, presenting a simple yet polished combat system for this type of adaptation. With rich visuals and great fidelity to the original material, the game stumbles on minor details, such as the camera and environment interaction or complementary exploration modes, but none of this detracts from the genuine fun of experiencing firsthand the conclusion of one of the greatest cultural products of the last decade.
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Without any significant innovations, additions, or improvements that go beyond the norm, Fighting Force Collection carries with it, without compromise, the qualities, such as setting, simplicity, and objectivity of the purest digital beat 'em up; and the limitations of its time, visually and mechanically speaking, which will certainly bring a nostalgic smile to older players, but will hardly seduce subsequent generations.
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Without surprises or major creative innovations, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - From the Ashes is consistent with what the original game established, adding a new area fully connected to the theme of the third film and elevating a new character to protagonist status. With some interface tweaks, welcome additions among native and foreign enemies, and subtle changes in equipment management, the campaign maintains the same solid structure already known, and Pandora, even in flames, remains an incredible place to explore.
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Honoring the legacy of the masterpiece it dares to adapt, Terminator 2D: NO FATE is an exceptional side-scrolling shooter, as well as a great adaptation that breaks the mold of average movie-based games. Its biggest problem stems from its best qualities, however, as it ends up being too short and economical in exploring the mechanics it creates, especially by limiting the passages where we can don the Terminator's synthetic skin.
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Kill It With Fire 2 may not be as innovative as its predecessor was a few years ago, but it finally unleashes its full chaotic and uncompromising potential, taking the war with the damned spiders to unexpected levels and insane worlds. While playing with others is the best way to enjoy this bizarre adventure, the experience can be rewarding for any player willing to let go of seriousness, overlook interface and physics details, and embrace the unabashed fun of the absurd.
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Maintaining the excellent technical and narrative level of the base game, Pacific Drive: Whispers in the Woods dares to make a significant change in tone, becoming more frightening by evoking ideas and resources from good fantasy horror productions. The DLC adds an extra layer of challenge to the game's standard, and its content is robust and valuable, expanding and complementing this rich, innovative, and intriguing universe that deserves to be explored.
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In its original form, Red Dead Redemption is nearly perfect in all its key aspects, such as narrative, gameplay, and artistic concept. The 2023 PS4 remaster was timid in updating definition and performance, but did enough to introduce it to a new generation and fill a gap for longtime fans. All of this is now confirmed by the native PlayStation 5 version, with its 4K at 60fps with HDR, things that seem like little - and in a way, they are - but which at least offer the most solid, beautiful, and stable experience possible for one of the greatest classics in gaming history.
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