Cerealkillerz

Dead Island 2 continues where its predecessors left off. The new gore system adds a lot to the game, but the bottom line is that it stays true to its formula and doesn't really reinvent anything. Boring mission design is more than saved by the massive variation of enemy variants and the very fun melee fights, and fans of blunt butchery should grab it anyway. Hell-A!

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18 years ago Capcom wrote history with Resident Evil 4 and revolutionized the genre. The need for a Remake left the community wondering if it is really necessary, which was put to rest with this sensational remake once and for all. The new story shines with graphical improvements all over the place and a flawless gameplay. Plot holes have been filled up with ease and the trashy charme of the original is nearly completely gone. This is the perfect version of this videogame masterpiece.

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Platinum Games delivered a beautiful fairy tale for both Bayonetta fans and non-fans. Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon's presentation is graphically and acoustically a treat. The Twin Stick puzzle gimmick and the implicit couch co-op combined with great story pacing makes for a good game outside of Platinum Games realm of all-out action games.

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Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty continues the familiar formula of the Nioh series and transports the whole thing to the Chinese era of the three empires. The new gameplay, which is purely based on counterattacks, brings so much fun and freedom that you can easily overlook the story, the somewhat inflationary loot and the fluctuating difficulty level.

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The Settlers - New Allies tried to make a city building and RTS hybrid. Sadly it doesn't deliver on both ends. The clunky RTS Parts and the low complexity of the building parts don't fulfill the high expectations of the big name "The Settlers". The great graphical presentation with fitting sound design are not enough to outshine the very slow gameplay and the monotonous campaign/story. Only sometimes old virtues shine through which is sadly not enough to satisfy fans that longed for a new "real" Settlers game.

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The remake Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe shines as an easy accessible couch co-op multiplayer title. As a singleplayer game it sadly lacks challenging parts and gameplay diversity. The technical improvements to the Wii title and the new epilogue are nice to have but don't justify the price tag of 59.99€ at release. Kirby Fans who already own the original game should think twice beforce buying.

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And again, the grind is real, guys! Octopath Traveler II is insanely beautiful to look at, the story around the eight characters is better realized, and the turn-based battle system is a true joy, reminiscent of the glory days of 16-bit RPGs. If some boss fights drag on forever and random battles also demand their share of playing time, it shows that the sequel also appeals to die-hard fans for the most part. Nevertheless, the improvements compared to the first part are noticeable in every corner - Octopath Traveler II shows itself as a role-playing game on the highest level in 2023.

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Atomic Heart looks great and the overall design is amazing. From the extensive environments over some small ideas, every works really well. Also the gameplay elements shines with a lots of variety in combinations that don't need to hide behind the games that inspired them. Some tedious collecting, unbalanced swarms of enemies and the only "ok" story scratch the paint of this well thought out art piece.

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Like A Dragon: Ishin! is not a new title in the well-known series, and yet it feels so fresh. That's because familiar faces in new roles, a new setting in feudal Japan, and the first time acting with sword and gun instead of fists make the game special. It may feel a bit stale in parts, but it plays wonderfully and should be tried by anyone who can relate to the setting or is looking to get into the franchise.

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If you haven't played Tales of Symphonia yet, this is a wonderful opportunity to relive the great characters and the story, which many fans consider to be one of the best in the series. It unfortunately doesn't combine everything from the best versions here, but you don't necessarily have to mind that.

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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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SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake does a lot right. Lots of references, more varied gameplay and a more intense story. Not everything is new, but for fans of the yellow sponge there is simply no way around this title. Only occasional annoying stutters and the collectible items tarnish the overall impression.

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Fans had high hopes that Forspoken would be Square Enix's next potential hit. Unfortunately, the developers of Luminous Productions once again reveal a major weakness in the way the story is told. To make matters worse, there is a fundamentally unsympathetic protagonist who, in the absence of supporting secondary characters, is all the more the focus. Even the unused and well-developed magic system can't save much anymore.

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Fire Emblem Engage unfortunately fails to shine like its predecessor Three Houses. The step back to the roots of the series wasn't a bad one at all. Above all, the combat system knows how to inspire thanks to the emblems, the reunion with Marth and Co. was successful. Unfortunately, the unspectacular story, its generic characters and the lack of endgame content reduce the gaming experience a lot.

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One Piece Odyssey finally brings fans of the original a well-deserved implementation. The battle system works great, the story combines new things with nostalgic emotions, and the graphics are also very pleasing. Only a few minor flaws hold it back, but anyone who can relate to the straws should play it.

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The worst you can do as strategy and marvel fan is, to not give Marvel’s Midnight Suns a chance. It often doesn't feel lik a game that should be fun because of some failings in the presentation, technical aspects and dialogue but the fight system, lots of rewards and the team building mechanic are so well made, that you forget about all the other shortcomings.

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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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The Callisto Protocol fails despite a solid overall performance on its high ambitions. You have to give the studio some credit for the creative approaches, especially for the gameplay and atmosphere but there is a constant lack of a final touch through the whole game, which often lets the gameplay end in frustration and boring/repetitive sections. Horror Fans with lots of endurance should still get it for the PlayStation 5.

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On paper, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet sounds like a Pokémon fan's dream come true. Paldea impresses with a very extensive game world, different storylines and new gameplay mechanics. Unfortunately, the poor technical and optical quality of the ninth generation throws a big spanner in the works. Game Freak has a lot to do here, especially given the fact that only 400 different Pokémon have made it into the game.

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Gungrave G.O.R.E. wants us to go back to the old days of the PS2. Dumb action, a lackluster story with a silent hero and a big gun on his back. Sadly the boring and repetitive gameplay make it hard to recommend this game.

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