Leonardo Faria's Reviews
It amazes me how the inclusion of a single feature can completely revamp a tried and true puzzle formula. Picross S7 is still more of the same, which isn’t exactly a bad thing for us nonogram addicts, but the long-awaited implementation of touch-based controls improves this particular sequel so much to the point of rendering its predecessors obsolete in comparison.
Dungeon Munchies has one really clever idea, which, sadly, doesn’t make up for how mundane the rest of its gameplay and presentation are. The novelty of cooking parts of your fallen enemies and acquiring their powers wears off quickly once you realize the rest of the game is still an ugly platformer with really simplistic combat.
The first Hollow was so bad that there was just no way a sequel could be worse. I will say that, somehow, Hollow 2 surpassed my expectations, but only because they were pretty low to begin with. Granted, it is not entirely bad, and can be enjoyed by space horror aficcionados, those craving for a Dead Space-esque experience on-the-go. Just bear in mind that this game is still severely flawed, suffering from a bad framerate and janky combat sections.
More than just a fantastic killer app for the Oculus Quest 2, Resident Evil 4 VR is a killer app for virtual reality in general. Unlike Half-Life Alyx, this is a phenomenal shooter available on the cheapest, most readily available, and most comfortable VR system in the market. It features everything you have always loved from Resident Evil 4, but in a brand new perspective that turns what was already fun and immersive into something even more intense and memorable.
Scarf is a good game, but not one that left an impression. I played it, enjoyed it while it lasted, but once I was done with it, all I could think about is that I would have enjoyed it a lot more three years ago, back when it was first announced, and back when 3D indie plaftormers were still a niche, a breath of fresh air in the market.
Sadly, as expected, this PS5 version of Serious Sam was a disappointment. There is a really fun shooter buried underneath this pile of glitches, framerate issues and boring story-driven sections, but it’s nigh impossible to overlook all of those setbacks.
The Rush Duel format is a welcome change of pace after having to deal with all that Synchro / Pendulum / XYZ nonsense, but it turns the overall Yu-Gi-Oh metagame into something way more simplistic than the fun strategic madness it once was. Think about that before considering buying Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel: Dawn of the Battle Royale, as this format will not please everyone.
It’s yet another bite-sized Recharged version of an Atari classic, but one that actually looks good enough, has an okay soundtrack, and feels like the perfect balance between retro and modern, all thanks to its mixture of vector graphics and a ton of neon particle effects.
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is some of the most fun you can have with plain edutainment, as it cleverly hides its educational aspects under a layer of competitiveness and a cute but friendly presentation. It’s a bit expensive, and I think its amount of minigames is a bit subpar, but it’s a very enjoyable experience if you tackle it for around 10 minutes a day.
This is not going to make you stop playing Streets of Rage 4 or cancel your preorder for the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game, but damn, am I glad this exists. Asterix & Obelix: Slap Them All is really easy and can be really repetitive at times, but it’s lovely to look at and listen to. The fact it’s so easy makes each combat section even funnier, all thanks to some of the best animations I’ve seen in a game in a while.
I still think that, with the Unlimited Pass, there is very little reason for you to buy more than one Just Dance every, say, three or four years. If so, I think Just Dance 2022 is the best one so far, and the one you should buy, not only because of its improved choreographies and inclusion of half a dozen songs I love, but because it does feel more visually impressive and polished than any other Just Dance I’ve played.
Corpse Party is very simple, and occasionally very janky, but it has a lot of personality and heart put into it. Despite its 16-bit visuals and basic gameplay, it manages to convey a somewhat tense survival horror experience based on the limitations of a very old engine. It is very repetitive and cryptic, though, so be ready to undergo through a lot of trial-and-error sections. If that doesn’t bother you, and if you’re looking for a different take on the survival horror genre, go for it. You could do a lot worse, especially on the Switch.
Calling Pro Basketball Manager 2022 “basically Football Manager, but with basketball” is not criticism. It’s possibly the best compliment a game like this can get. If you love the sport, love its intricacies, but don’t exactly like playing it, Umix Studios has the game for you.
If there was one thing I wasn’t expecting from Marsupilami: Hoobadventure, it was for it to become of one of my favorite platformers of the year. It’s not just competent, it’s actually surprisingly well-crafted. Well designed levels, great controls, pretty graphics, and a cute sense of humor results in an adorable title that, while far from reinventing the wheel, will easily please Rayman and Donkey Kong Country enthusiasts.
I don’t exactly know who BloodRayne: ReVamped is for, or who was clamoring for a revival of this particular game in this particular state, but oddly enough, I like that it exists. Don’t get me wrong, this is beyond dated, unreliable as hell, and as shallow as a puddle, but there’s some fun to be had with this game due to its odd, “mid-budget game from the 2000s” janky charm.
The mere existence of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition might be a joke to some, but the bigger joke would be saying this isn’t still one hell of an immersive RPG. Sure, the addition of mods doesn’t exactly make this version an absolute must-have and its pricing and pre-release marketing campaigns haven’t helped it at all, but it’s still Skyrim. It’s still a great game, with a handful of quality of life improvements.
Let’s put it this way: given the franchise’s atrocious track record in the gaming world, the fact that Fast & Furious: Spy Racers Rise of SH1FT3R is not only not bad, but actually a pretty good (and even occasionally challenging) action-packed racer is a cause for celebration.
I won’t try to beat around the bush or hide the fact that, yes, Knights of the Old Republic has aged a lot ever since it first came out a whopping eighteen years ago. Its visuals and confusing control scheme weren’t good back then, and they certainly aren’t good now. But there’s just something about this game that makes you want to overcome its issues. It is one hell of an amazing RPG that engrosses you in its rich and detailed world, full of amazing characters and storylines.
I am not going to pretend I didn’t have a lot of fun with this remastered Grand Theft Auto trilogy. At the end of the day, they’re still the PS2 classics, and I have loved them for the past two decades. I also won’t deny that, yes, there ARE some good quality of life improvements in each of the games, such as an improvement aiming system, camera controls, checkpoints, and much more. But man, these visuals, this framerate, these glitches, all of those are unacceptable.
It’s weird to realize that the Switch hadn’t had the original Lego Marvel Super Heroes in its library up until now, but that basically ended up working in its favor. In an era where we’re a bit saturated with the MCU and the disappointment that was Square’s own Avengers game, replaying Lego Marvel Super Heroes served to remind me of a simpler, more innocent and way more entertaining take on the source material.