Luuc ten Velde's Reviews
Metaphor ReFantazio is one of the best games of 2024 and everything you'd want in a JRPG. Although the world can be a bit dated at times, this 80 hour epic is a joy throughout thanks to its story, mechanics and characters that shine in combination with one another.
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The minigames are fun, the obligations are minimal, and the classic Mario Party feelings of frustration and euphoria quickly surface by the end of each game. Super Mario Party Jamboree delivers that and a few extras with the Expert options, although they could have been a bit more extensive.
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Dragon Ball Sparking Zero is an outstanding fighter for anyone familiar with the previous entries in the Budokai Tenkaichi games, but for those new to the series, it might be a bit rough getting yourself up to speed before becoming a great fighter like Goku.
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While not a soulslike the way FromSoftware makes them, Black Myth Wukong is a great game with gripping boss fights, gorgeous area's and excellent combat, although the tech struggles to keep up occasionally.
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Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door nails what a faithful remake should be. Some small improvements make the gameplay even better in this sharply written story that's charming until the very end.
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Sand Land is a fine game, thanks to a fun story and a loveable cast of characters. The gameplay is just a bit too simple at times, while some frustrating design choices can leave you frustrated at certain points.
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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a triumph in many ways thanks to its story, a plethora of minigames, an improved fighting system and a sprawling open world full of activities that are fun and rewarding. The story dips a bit towards the middle though, while the new mechanic that tracks the relationships in the party is a bit unclear at times.
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Super Mario RPG is a strong remake from Nintendo thanks to the updated graphics, music and animations. It shows that the 1996-game is a timeless classic due to it's great story and memorable cast of characters.
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Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a great game thanks to improved combat, traversal and quality of life improvements. There are still some improvements to make though, as Insomniac could've listened more to the feedback on the first two games.
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The Teal Mask could have been a great expansion for Pokémon Scarlet & Violet if Game Freak had taken the time it needed to address and fix the overwhelming amount of issues that still plague the overall package. The fun stories and great Kitakami area make for some good fun if you can look past the technical troubles.
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Star Wars Jedi: Survivor sports an excellent return for Cal Kestis and his adventures to escape the grasp of the Empire. Thanks to a ton of new additions in both gameplay and customization, you've never felt closer to being a Jedi than in this game even though the performance could've been better.
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Forspoken has a good foundation, but is a mess in execution due to a horrible protaganist, dull combat and technical problems. While there is enough to do in this pretty-looking open world it amounts to very little and so does the story.
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Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a fine remaster for those wanting to experience the story of Zack Fair before Rebirth comes out. This is however a by the books remaster including all of the cringeworthy dialogue and stiff animations. The new additions and graphical upgrades are really good, but don't expect this to be on the same level as 2020's FFVII Remake.
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Pokémon Scarlet & Violet takes the next step for the franchise thanks to the lush open world. Even the new Terastallizing mechanic is great fun, although it is kinda a reskin of an earlier mechanic. Amazing music and some smart design choises make it a game you can't miss. At least, that is what we would've said if the performance wasn't as bad as it is.
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God of War Ragnarok is an amazing feat in storytelling, combat, characters, and spectacle. This gripping adventure about a father and son trying to do what is right keeps hooked throughout while putting you through the wringer both in its gameplay and emotional storytelling. Ragnarok builds on 2018 in every aspect cementing it as a masterpiece in gaming.
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Gotham Knights is a good game dragged down by a few mechanics that feel a little out of place. The story, characters, and gameplay is really fun, strengthened by a great-looking open world, and tons of stuff to do. The fact that you'll need to do all of it in 30 fps is a big problem though, although some co-op makes up for it a little.
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Although the story is pretty boring there is much fun to be found thanks to the combat systems and plenty of secrets to uncover in this bleak world. That's why Valkyrie Elysium is a fantastic time if you're keen on some fighting action.
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The Last of Us Part 1 is a questionable remake of the beloved PS3 game. While the improvements are there, they come in small forms. For new players, this is the way to go, but fans of the original should probably wait for a price cut because the small improvements definitely do not justify the price.
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The reboot of Saints Row is failing both as a reboot as well as a good game due to the game running poorly, a sandbox riddled with bugs and a boring story with just a few fun characters. Blowing stuff up is good and all, but Santo Ileso simply isn't a fun place to create chaos in. Driving the expensive cars is simply the best part, but steering clear of Saints Row at launch is by far the best way to go.
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While Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is by no means mom's prettiest, it can't be denied that Monolith Soft has delivered one of the best RPGs on the Switch. With countless hours of missions and a juicy story that constantly begs you to keep playing, you're glued to your Switch. There is some lamentation based on the first hours that keep serving tutorials and cutscenes, but we have to swallow them.
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