Giuseppe Nelva's Reviews
Guerrilla Games has broken free from the claustrophobic limits of linear shooters and has spread its wings with a gorgeous open world RPG that sets itself as a strong contender for game of the year… and it’s only February.
If you approach NiOh with the right mindset, all the frustration due to the ruthless level of challenge will turn into satisfaction when you overcome each obstacle. If you want to feel like a true samurai mastering the complex ways of or Japanese warfare, and you’re willing to pay the blood price for it, this is your game. Don’t call it Bloodborne 2. NiOh certainly deserves its own spotlight.
If there is a game that fully embodies and actually easily overcomes the definition of “complete package,” that’s Yakuza 0. It’s a rich, colorful and engrossing experience that I can wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who loves the genre, Japanese culture, or simply a very, very good story with some of the best and most genuinely likable characters you’ll ever encounter in gaming.
Not only Gravity Rush 2 is a worthy successor for the first game, but it surpasses its predecessor (and its remaster) in ever aspect. Not only it’s extremely fun, engaging and even challenging, but due to its production and artistic value, it’s definitely one of those titles that you’ll want to show your friends when you need to demonstrate why you’re proud to be a gamer. They’re bound to be impressed.
With a PS4 and Xbox One release scheduled for some time this year, there is still room for this game to fulfill its potential. Yet, the console audience is even less forgiving than PC gamers when it comes to technical problems. We can only hope that the development team will learn from the mistakes made with the Steam release, use us PC gamers as guinea pigs for as long as it takes (we're used to it anyway), and then bring forth a more solid package on consoles.
Yet, if The Last Guardian and its charming duo of characters click with you (or more properly, if you click with them), this is an unforgettable experience that you will probably carry in your heart for your whole life, just like many did with Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, and possibly even more. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go pet my cat, because I already miss my Trico.
It's also a monument to the determination and dedication of a team that quite obviously poured an inordinate amount of love and passion into creating a fantastic world that is worth exploring and living, and a lovely quartet of boys that are exceptional in their normality and humanity. I couldn't ask for better virtual friends than Ignis, Gladio and Prompto. I laughed with them, cried with them, and I really love them.
It’s certainly not a perfect picture, but despite the wacky balance and the flaws, Watch Dogs 2 manages to be a very enjoyable experience, and a game definitely worth its price tag with its rich content and carefully crafted world at your physical and virtual fingertips. At times it almost feels like the delightful God simulators of old, only with an enormously expanded scale.
On the other hand, if you enjoy a good story, with great writing, compelling characters and some deeply emotional moments, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is definitely the best choice among this year’s first person shooters. If only it had a less unremarkable villain, it would have gone down in history as a full-fledged masterpiece. Yet, it’s still awesome, and I personally hope to see a sequel in the future. We never got a Wing Commander VI, but I’d be very glad to play an Infinite Warfare 2.
This is certainly one of the best FPS games I have played in a long while, and it definitely does not fall short compared to more established franchises. Its biggest weakness certainly isn’t Respawn’s fault, as it’s a tasty hamburger between the Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Buns. If you love first person shooters, good sci-fi or giant robots, I implore you not to ignore this game just because of that sandwich. Titanfall 2 deserves your attention.
That said, it’s an absolutely fantastic game. It shows the courage to break the mold of the established FPS settings, by bringing forth a nearly forgotten era, that comes packed with a lot of charm of its own. On top of that, it does so with tight and impactful gameplay that will keep the fans busy for a long time.
Of course fans of the series will appreciate the game even more, as it's a quite faithful representation of what you have seen on TV. It's rare, but anime-inspired games that do justice to their source material exist, and while Attack on Titan is far from perfect, it's definitely one of those.
On the other hand, if freedom, a relaxed pace, and a galaxy made of more stars that you’ll ever be able to visit make your heart beat, No Man’s Sky will grant you virtually infinite hours adventure and joy, and fly with you where no man has gone before… Literally.
On the other hand, if you want a massive, extremely fulfilling and rewarding simulation of World War II, then this game is a giant cornucopia of conflicts, engaging politics, management gameplay and pure fun. And when you’re tired of World War II, you’ll have endless alternate history scenarios to explore. Just make sure to go to work or school in the morning, because if Hearts of Iron IV really clicks with you, it won’t let go easily.
The return of Star Ocean could have certainly been better, but if you love the genre (and you’re used to its quirks) and the series, you’ll most probably find plenty to enjoy in Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness.
If you are a Total War fan or if you love strategy games, I can wholeheartedly recommend to give it a try, even if the shift away from a historical setting might make some frown. The gameplay, the flavor and charm of the setting, and the depth of options are definitely worth the effort to move a bit outside of the history comfort zone. On the other hand, if you are a Warhammer fan, I guess you don't really don't need my recommendation, you're most probably already playing it and enjoying the hell out of it.
Since the game isn’t available on the western market, the copy used for this article was kindly provided by Play-Asia. If you want to see more if the game, you can find tons of screenshots here and a video below.
This remaster adds slightly improved graphics and frame rate, trophies and the bells and whistles coming with a modern console release. Arguably, this isn’t an enormous change, but fact is that the original game was already a masterpiece on its own, and Valkyria Chronicles Remastered brings back all that charm. What’s not to love?
Ultimately, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me curse and it make me shout. It made me take a break just to catch my breath, more than once. What more can I ask of a game? This isn't just a swan song for a beloved franchise, but a majestic and emotional symphony of love.
And conquer I shall, even if for the first time in so many years, a MMORPG finally restored that sense of awe and adventure that I thought irremediably lost. For the first time in almost a decade, the world of a game finally managed to make me feel small again, and boy, this feels so good.