The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a confusing and unfocused experience. The game tries to be an adventure title with stealth mechanics but attempts to mix in a variety of other features that simply do not go together very well. This is a pity because Daedalic Entertainment tried, but failed to build a Gollum faithful to Tolkien's works, placing him in a narrative context that struggles to pick up pace, being really interesting only in the first few hours of play. Between a visual impact anchored to two generations ago and various technical issues, Nacon's ambitious video game is unfortunately a bitter disappointment that does not offer the proper value to the prestigious Lord of the Rings license.
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Starfield: Shattered Space is the first expansion for Bethesda’s space epic, a piece of content that feels objectively unnecessary in the game’s overall context. Despite the fantastic new settings and the idea of focusing the story on a single moon, which makes exploration more engaging, everything else feels like a clear patchwork of the full game—almost as if it had been cut for time and then brought back a year later to add a few extra hours. If the studio genuinely intends to make Starfield a long-lasting title, they’ll need to deliver additional content that is far more focused and polished than what we’ve seen and played with Shattered Space
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Concord is a title with too many uncertainties. On one hand, the gunplay and technical aspects are solid, showcasing the commitment and quality of the development team. On the other hand, problematic balancing and a lack of originality in the artistic direction compromise the overall experience.
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Dragon Age The Veilguard isn’t the big comeback from BioWare we had hoped for; in fact, it seems like a project born out of countless uncertainties and shaped by an idea completely different from what we experienced in our 70 hours of gameplay. The game tries, and it would be unfair not to admit it: it seeks to embrace new elements, but it does so in a completely misguided and inconsistent way, partly due to shallow writing and an art direction lacking a true identity.
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RoboCop: Rogue City will certainly not be the biggest work in this dense 2023, but it is still an unexpected surprise. Teyon comes from a very problematic product like Terminator Resistance, and we certainly would not have expected such a leap forward in such a short time. The team was able to take the essence of RoboCop and recreate it to video game, even experimenting with hybrid RPG mechanics that were not exactly functional, but at least commendable for their commitment to trying to do something different.
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Bleeding Edge is a surprisingly enjoyable, fun and originally styled online experience. Although its approach may initially seem too simplistic in the formula, in reality the game of Ninja Theory hides a deep and well-kept gameplay that, to be mastered, needs time and training.
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Isonzo is a very good tactical online FPS, undoubtedly the best first-person shooter dedicated to World War I (or at least the most historically accurate). Despite this, however, the game suffers from clear balancing problems that undermine most of the games, as well as some technical issues that almost completely overshadow the very pleasing visual compartment. Having said that, if you love online FPSs and are looking for a title other than the classic 'run and gun', then Isonzo could really amuse you, especially with a close-knit team.
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Assassin's Creed Shadows is a game of lights and shadows. On one hand, it marks a welcome partial return to the series' origins, with gameplay focused on stealth and a narrative closer to the Assassin's Creed. On the other hand, it presents some critical issues, especially on a narrative level, with a disappointing ending and sometimes uninspired mission structure. Despite these flaws, Shadows is a solid gaming experience, graphically and artistically top-notch and capable of entertaining for several hours, albeit without ever surprising. Ubisoft has certainly respected Japanese culture and the implementation of the game world works, but the sense that this could have been much, much more seems quite evident. It's a good game, that's undeniable. But this, perhaps, might not be enough anymore
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South of Midnight is exactly what I expected and, in some ways, what I hoped for: a polished, enjoyable, no-frills 'AA' experience, but rich in character. It's not a game that aims to revolutionize the market or compete for the Game of the Year title, but it represents that kind of mid-sized, artistically valuable production focused on a specific story, which I consider essential in the current gaming ecosystem. It's clear that Compulsion Games has learned the lesson from We Happy Few, choosing the path of narrative simplicity (which proved successful) rather than pursuing perhaps excessive ambition. This game is a huge improvement compared to the studio's past work. The gameplay criticisms, however, remain, and I sincerely hope the team will learn from them for future projects. Despite its gameplay flaws, South of Midnight left me with a very good overall impression thanks to its unique atmosphere, its splendid art, its very enjoyable soundtrack, and a story that knows how to strike the right chords. If you are looking for a linear, artistically inspired, and narratively engaging adventure, and you are willing to turn a blind eye to functional but repetitive gameplay, South of Midnight definitely deserves a chance when it arrives on Xbox Series X|S and PC next April 8th
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Ubisoft's StarLink Battle for Atlas is a brave, half-successful attempt to bring the "Toys to Life" back to life. The Ubisoft Toronto product gives life to a well-kept sci-fi universe with a fine design, accompanied by an appreciable soundtrack and a deep and fun gameplay. The plastic models that the company offers for its video game are well made and far from low quality, they have also convinced us for variety and originality. The real Achilles heel of the product is the excessive repetitiveness, which can already be felt in the medium term.
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GRID Legends is a solid and fun arcade racing game, not revolutionary but certainly not dull either. Codemasters has worked to improve on the critical aspects of the 2019 reboot, creating a title with enviable content and a revised (though not perfect) artificial intelligence. It's a pity that the story mode is a bit jumbled and customisation is reduced, but overall we're looking at a game that's highly accessible for those who aren't used to the genre, but also potentially satisfying for motorsport fans, assuming you're aware of a distinctly arcade driving model that's intentionally light and without any particular frills.
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While not introducing many new features compared to the fourth chapter, Monster Energy Supercross 5 reconfirms the good qualities seen in the past: a lot of fun and content that will satisfy the most hardened Supercross fans. Despite a visual component that could be improved, Milestone has worked more than satisfactorily on the physics section, setting a gameplay that is never trivial and accessible to everyone. In the future we wouldn't mind seeing a bit more, but until then the Supercross niche can still sleep easy and enjoy a title that meets their expectations.
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Sackboy: A great adventure is an absolutely valid platformer: nice, fun and above all light, which makes it suitable for any type of person, from children to adults.
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Anger Foot can be considered a good successor to Hotline Miami, although it doesn't quite match it. It's not an experience for everyone, as it proves to be very challenging and often frustrating, especially for those not accustomed to this type of game. However, the great level design and high-profile artistic component make the production by Free Lives and Devolver noteworthy.
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Dragon's Dogma 2 is an experience that entertained and engaged us, perhaps one of the most original and satisfying RPGs you will play this year. However, the differences from the first episode are really minimal and the reduced fluidity on consoles disappointed us a bit. However, it should be specified that this is primarily designed to bring in a large number of new players.
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LEGO 2K Drive is a very enjoyable arcade racing game with a variety of content to accompany it. Don't expect a complex title in terms of challenge, partly because it is designed primarily for young audiences.
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Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores is an all in all a good DLC that introduces a new story (although it does not give particularly noteworthy moments, apart from an 'unexpected evolution of Aloy), new missions, weapons and that above all improves even more the visual compartment, presenting itself even more impressive than it was already a year ago with the main chapter.
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Horizon Call of the Mountain is the first major PlayStation VR2 exclusive, a game that respects the technical/graphic premise of the Horizon series very well, certifying what is undoubtedly the most visually beautiful video game ever seen on virtual reality. Beyond that, Firesprite and Guerrilla's game is a classic VR title, rather linear and not a surprising gameplay. Undoubtedly an excellent product that works, entertains and expands the Horizon universe, as well as an excellent base for the PS VR2.
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Batora: Lost Haven is an Italian production that convinces and satisfies from start to finish. The lively art style and varied gameplay make the work of Stormind Games one of the most appreciable Italian titles of recent years.
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Grounded is among the most enjoyable survival experiences of recent years, and it is almost strange to emphasise this given that the title was not even supposed to exist. Obsidian, albeit with a small team, has crafted a stylistically original product, not without flaws, but composed of all those qualities with which the American team has always distinguished itself with its video games: quality writing, design and effective world building.
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