Olaf Bleich
Don't buy this game – at least yet! Star Wars Battlefront – Classic Collection is a troubled remake of beloved shooter-games. Server-issues, bugs and other problems harm the overall experience and overshadow the otherwise solid retro-gameplay.
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AEW Fight Forever turns out to be a huge letdown. The overall experience suffers from the lack of gameplay-polish and the amount of bugs and glitches. While the game delivers some high recognition-value, it fails to live up to the promise of delivering a nostalgic arcade-wrestling-game.
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WWE 2K Battlegrounds turns out better than expected and delivers some fun arcade-wrestling with friends for a couple of hours. Nonetheless the game lacks depth and versatility. Most importantly the omnipresent microtransactions really hurt the overall feel for the brawler, which could have wound up far more enjoyable than it actually did.
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Unknown 9 suffers from technical hick-ups and gameplay-imbalances. Stealth is fun, but too easy for veterans. Handling and combat turn out stiff. Yet again, Unknown 9 can be satisfying and motivating and delivers a fresh setting.
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Unfortunately, "Cygni" didn't really convince us. Yes, the game looks incredibly good and conjures up a real fireworks display on the screen. And yes, the snappy bullet hell battles are fun. Nevertheless, we felt that the spark of genius that is necessary for a game of this genre was missing. The balance between the difficulty levels isn't really right. The pacing within the missions isn't right for our taste either: "Cygni" keeps us stuck at certain points too often, and far too often these snapshots drag on too much. Then the action game is almost boring despite all its qualities. And the upgrade system and its options could also be more intuitive. All in all, "Cygni: All Guns Blazing" turns out to be a solid action game with some clever approaches and a first-class presentation. However, it is nowhere near as good as classics like "Gradius" and the like.
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Empire of the Ants isn't your typical RTS-game. Instead it's a wonderful looking experience, that drags you into the life of insects. Despite the great presentation, the game itself suffers from lackluster controls and camera-issues.
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The technical implementation is good: the camera is relatively close to the action. This means you see less of the surroundings, but more of the actors. Hits leave swelling and lacerations. In contrast to "EA Sports UFC 5", "Undisputed" keeps the blood factor a little lower: there are lacerations, but they are less directly captured and celebrated. Body blows are also clearly recognizable. Effective hits are shown just as clearly as knockdowns and knockouts.
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We had hoped for a little more from "Flintlock: Siege of Dawn". The result is not a complete disaster, but it is lost in the middle of the big action-adventure and Soulslike productions. The witty fights and the brisk movement options speak for "Flintlock". Thanks to the variable difficulty level, you can quickly find your way into the game and have fun in combination with the well-implemented controls. However, "Flintlock" also runs out of steam just as quickly: The character system has too little effect on the progression. The story lacks interesting twists, characters and big moments. "Flintlock" is suitable as a beginner's Soulslike, but in the long run "Dark Souls" or "God of War" will not be able to offer spoiled core gamers.
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"MotoGP 23" misses out on a direct jump to pole position. Because as coherent as some new features such as the dynamic weather or the extended tutorials are, the game unfortunately lacks depth and atmosphere off the track. The presentation is as staid as usual, and the gameplay remains too niche to really convince every racing fan to get started. Problems in the game balance and in the long-term effect are added. "MotoGP 23" offers intense and realistic racing action for those who don't care about the trappings.
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"Sniper Elite: Resistance" is a solid successor to Rebellion's action-stealth series. The overall concept remains consistent and the options are as entertaining as ever. The "sniper" mechanics in particular continue to impress. There are also co-op and versus multiplayer options that make for a decent package. In short: If you liked the previous "Sniper Elite" games, you won't go wrong here - but you shouldn't expect any miracles of innovation either.
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Concord isn't a bad game. It's a solid hero-shooter with appropriate gunplay and movement. With the right squad by your side, the 5v5-matches are solid fun. Yet again, Concord plays it very safe and doesn't stand out in any department against free-to-play-competitors like Valorant or Apex Legends.
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Ride 5 makes another small step into the right direction. The overall atmospheric career is a solid foundation, but also lacks additional production-value in its presentation. Ride 5 however does deliver on the track with very playable racing-gameplay, that not only challenges experienced players but also gives newcomers a chance to succeed.
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„Destiny 2: Beyond Light“ starts a new era for Bungie's loot-shooter. But as interesting as the new moon Europe is and as good as the stasis-abilities are, the overall „Beyond Light“-package does not live up to this hype. Instead it delivers solid replayability, but also cuts out a lot of content, „Destiny 2“-veterans enjoyed playing.
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Those who are patient and willing to embrace the game's quirks will be rewarded with an exceptional city-building experience that will linger in their memory for a long time.
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It's getting boring! The major game modes of the "NHL" series urgently need a makeover. Yes, something has been done to the franchise mode. And also in other places, such as Hockey Ultimate Team, a careful hand was laid. But if we're honest, that's just a drop in the ocean. Once again, far too little is happening in the big varieties. If you're looking for real changes, you'll have to take a closer look at the presentation, but especially the gameplay. On the ice, however, there are some changes that have a noticeable effect on handling and playability. Improved animations and player behavior provide an overall more rounded experience, and the presentation has also been tweaked again. But as nice as these adjustments may be, they are not enough compared to last year. Even though "NHL 25" is a very good ice hockey game, it is only recommended for all those who have already taken a break in recent years. If you already have "NHL 24" in your game library, you can safely skip "25".
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Compared to last year, "MotoGP 24" is undoubtedly a step forward. Milestone does a good job of beginner-friendliness and presents what is probably the best career in the series' history. Elements such as the driver's market fit in nicely. The presentation is still very dull and not at the level to compete with the top racing games. On the track itself, however, "MotoGP 24" is more comprehensible and manageable. Thanks to the help functions, you will eventually find the groove necessary for a motorcycle racing game. And then "MotoGP" is really fun, precisely because it is very demanding and even punishes minor mistakes. So if you want to put your gamepad skills to the test and put a little more time into a racing game, "MotoGP 24" is just the right thing for you and certainly the right introduction to the series.
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Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a more than solid spinoff for the successful Yakuza-series. With a satisfying fighting-system, tons of side-activities and the typical Yakuza-humor, Like A Dragon Gaiden make veterans happy and gives newcomers a chance to get into the series easily.
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NBA 2K23 leaves us torn: On the one hand, it’s an almost perfect simulation of the sport delivering a high amount of detail and gameplay-value. On the other hand, the experience is heavily harmed by microtransactions and in-game advertisements.
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In NHL 24, EA Sports focuses on improving the gameplay experience where it matters: On the ice. The addition of the exhaust-engine, the pressure system and the new controls work in favour of the overall gameplay. Unfortunately, NHL 24 lacks improvements in nearly every game-mode, which makes it hard to give the game a recommendation.
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NBA 2K24 is a superb sports-gameplay. It delivers high-level basketball on the court and also presents the action like a modern TV-broadcast. Along with a lot of basketball-nostalgia and tons of game-modes, "NBA 2K24" is an overall better package than its predecessor. However, microtransactions and the pay-to-win-mentality seriously hurt two of its two main game moves and leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth.
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