Luuc ten Velde's Reviews
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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If you play the game alone, you also do not have to worry that the experience is less. The story is fantastic to experience and tastes like more play sessions to see how the characters could deal with situations in a different way. The artstyle will not attract everyone and for a sequel a little more depth in animation work the game would certainly not be out of place.
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TT Games has outdone itself by reinventing the LEGO formula to create the most complete Star Wars game in history. The mechanics have been reworked to suit both young and old players, while keeping that great LEGO humor throughout. As Ben Kenobi would say: "This is the Star Wars game people are looking for!"
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Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands looks a lot like Borderlands 3 and plays a bit like it as well. Luckily, the Wonderlands offers up a fantastic setting full of great enemies and humor that hits a lot better. It's a shame the Overworld feels so unnecessary, although there is plenty of fun to have thanks to the bigger focus on customization.
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Bottom line, Guerrilla has delivered a masterpiece that stands large with the best open-world games we've ever seen. A masterful story full of twists and turns takes you through an unparalleled world of stunning beauty. The Forbidden West is alive and invites you to enjoy dozens of hours of action, adventure, and phenomenal environments.
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God of War is even better than it was in 2018 thanks to the power of the PC. With an uncapped framerate, native 4K and Ultra-Wide Screen support the game looks amazing and plays even better. If you're new to the series, this is the place to start.
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All in all, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are intended for new players who have never experienced Sinnoh. They who will get the most enjoyment out of these remakes, because the games are faithful to the originals to a fold. This is, unfortunately, also what hinders the game as there could've been done so much more for the fans who're dropping in for another tour of Sinnoh.
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