The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom blends classic Zelda gameplay with innovative mechanics, allowing players creative approaches. Zeldas ability to summon Echoes adds depth and variety to exploration and problem-solving and for the first time ever steals the showlight from our hero Link. This may be the first time an isometric Zelda comes close to the classic A Link to the past.
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If you like hack 'n' slay games like DMC or Bayonetta in the slightest and are not appalled by the artstyle and the music you have to get Hi-Fi Rush. The game oozes fun, has a great presentation and follows it's central design ideas throughout the game. All in all Tango Gameworks convinces with its first non horror game and delivers the first surprise hit in 2023. Also petting Robo-cats never gets old.
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Tekken 8's presentation is brilliant and complements the intense, more offense-oriented gameplay perfectly. Another highlight is how the game tries to introduce beginners into Tekken and gives them several tools for self-improvement, like the replay tips. On the flipside, this support doesn't include intermediates which is a missed chance. Also, the single player modes are quite short. Overall Tekken 8 still takes our place as best fighting game of the current gen as the gameplay and presentation are superb.
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Forza Motorsport keeps the pace of its predecessors but can't overtake it. A big collection of photorealistic cars to drive with, with a plentora of settings to tune their performance on twenty different tracks sounds promising as always. Unsurprisingly this formula still works like a charm. Sadly, the carreer mode lacks a tutorial, a story, rivalries or anything else tuning and driving. This severe lack of atmosphere doesn't fit a otherwise great and polished game like Forza.
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Capcom has hit the mark with MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics. The package got everything for everyone. The online mode runs smoothly and fans will love the art gallery, soundtracks and the training mode. There are some small bug fixes that are relevant for hardcore players but everything else transitioned nicely into the modern age of gaming.
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Rift of the Necrodancer is a very creative take on the classic lane style rhythm game. Even though, the story mode does not provide any real benefit, the main gameplay is absolutely addicting. The Custom Song integration is also great for longtime replayability while the very(!) high difficulty ceiling will keep even the best players on their toes.
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Doom: The Dark Ages sticks to its roots, offering refined gameplay rather than a reinvention like Doom (2016). The focus on strafing over constant flying through the air is a welcome shift, with difficulty settings helping maintain the series' trademark speed. While the mech sections and soundtrack fall short of previous entries, the game delivers fast-paced, satisfying action complemented by a touch more story and expansive level design.
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Street Fighter 6 does many things right that V didn't. World Tour delivers on many small details for fans, especially in the overall creation of your own character. Sadly though, the quest design isn't really engaging and there aren't that many story interactions. The open world potential clearly isn't used and leaves much to be desired. Luckily the gameplay itself when it comes to fighting as well as the character's (re)designs are on point. Thanks to the rollback netcode the online multiplayer works like a charm
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Phantom Liberty adds a thrilling story and the new area Dogtown to Cyberpunk 2077. The add-on and the 2.0 update really justify hopping back into night city. Although, there's still potential within CP2077 that can be unraveled, Phantom Liberty is definitely worth a try.
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Striking Distance Studios created a "sci-fi Hades" with [Redacted] that offers fast-paced, entertaining gameplay. For a solid price under 25€, this offer is a great game for Roguelike and Twinstick Shooter fans alike.
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is aimed primarily at fans of the films who want to embody a younger Indie again. The abyssmal enemy AI and the somewhat dull sneaking/fighting are more than offset by excellent world-building, great voice acting, and a solid story.
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NetherRealm Studios plays it safe. The Reboot resets the story via a multiverse approach. From a gameplay perspective MK1 brings a classic Mortal Kombat experience with no experiments. Besides the abyssmal Switch port, there aren't any major hiccups technical wise.
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Cities Skylines 2 improves on the beloved first part of the series. While it misses scenarios and dedicated tutorial missions, it captivates from the first minute on with the premise of building your own dream city and optimizing all the little details. Be aware though, that even with high end hardware the performance is abyssmal. But Colossal Order already promised to deliver performance improving patches and an early WIP patch we could use made the situation way better already. With the performance upgrade and the yet to come mods from the community, this game will surely be the new frontrunner of city building games.
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Roboquest is a fun roguelite FPS that motivates to pick it up for "just one more round". Tight controls, intense gameplay, secrets and lots of different guns, perks and six classes more than make up for the a little bit lacking enemy and level design.
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Princess Peach: Showtime! delivers surprising variety in gameplay and shows Peach in several roles like cowgirl, ninja or mermaid. Even though the game lacks in difficulty and replayability the target audience of younger and predominantly female gamers will find an entertaining Jump'n'Run with Nintendo's most prominent Princess. Everyone else gets a easy to digest game for short timeframes like a bus ride.
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Dungeons of Hinterberg is a refreshing genre mix between Action RPG and Social/Dating Sim that works surprisingly well. The colourful cel shading design brings the Austrian Alps to shine while its biggest strengths lie in the various dungeon puzzles and the destressing nature of its gameplay. We cannot stress enough that this charming Austrian indie gem is definitely worth a look.
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Wh40k Space Marine 2 is a non-compromising, brutal action game that sabotages itself with its clunky melee. Luckily, the fantastic presentation, as well as the love for detail, deliver a very satisfying experience for Warhammer 40k fans. Furthermore, Co-op enthusiasts get a great experience with the campaign and some additional missions.
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Tempest Rising is definitely the heir to the vacant RTS throne left by Command & Conquer. While a bit more boldness would have been welcome, the game perfectly captures the nostalgic feeling.
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A solid collection that doesn't quite match the previous compilations, but its nostalgic appeal, online features, and especially the inclusion of Capcom vs. SNK 2 make it well worth the experience.
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Black Sea Games had the self-proclaimed goal of making an accessible grand strategy game. And they did succeed. Knights of Honor II - Sovereign does many things right by leaving out complexity that makes games from e.g. Paradox Games very hard to start. Besides this obvious strength the game stays very close to its 2004 predecessor and doesn't change much. This isn't a bad thing but a bit more bravery wouldn't have hurt. Juggling diplomacy, economics, military and the clergy makes for an immersive and fun experience. Besides the real-time battles that leave much desired Knights of Honor II doesn't make any big mistakes and is a very solid bridge between Medieval: Total War and Games like Europa Universalis or Crusader Kings.
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