The Games Machine

Final Fantasy XVI is a hard-to-judge beast, a divisive experiment that would have been more comfortable as a spin-off, rather than in the uncomfortable shoes of the last official chapter of a much-loved series. A passionate plot and a successful combat system keep the attention high for the approximately 30 hours necessary to finish the game, but unfortunately they are forced to divide the scene with rosewater "role-playing" mechanics and a sadly arid and artificial world, net of a commendable artistic direction. On the JRPG front we are facing a very controversial result, but overall a more than decent game.

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Aliens: Dark Descent does a great job at recreating the pseudo-horror atmosphere that has made the movies such a cult classic. Your marines are hardened and capable, but they are against a threat that is out of the ordinary; for this reason, avoiding unnecessary encounters is more often than not a good idea. Sometimes it would be nice to be able to control each individual soldier, however.

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Trepang2 does nothing to hide its true nature, which is to be a decent fps, very fun in the shooting phases, but poor in all the rest of the game package.

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A very special compilation, collecting the remakes of the two main stories of Layers of Fear, along with the DLCs of the first chapter (one of which previously unreleased) and a new adventure that acts as a glue to the whole. The Unreal Engine 5 gives us genuinely terrifying settings and atmospheres, and the "package" guarantees hours of thrills but also manages to arouse other emotions than simple fear.

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Diablo IV is only the first stage of a long journey and already a convincing ARPG that throws you into a dark open world from which it is increasingly difficult to detach thanks to addictive gameplay and deep customization of your alter ego. Those who dreamed of a work capable of rewriting history might be a little disappointed, but sometimes less is enough to be happy.

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Pixel Ripped 1978 lasts less than ten hours and isn't particularly memorable to play, yet the spot-on humour, the abundance of hilarious gimmicks and the feeling of being in Sunnyvale during those pioneering years manage to pack enough of a context to make the game appealing to anyone interested in Atari's history and in the mood for a few good laughs. Overall, it is a game that is greater than the sum of its parts.

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F1 23 improves and expands almost everything from the previous iteration of the series, from the driving model to the physics of the single-seaters, even the multiple game modes are now – finally – abundant.

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Intense, detailed and capable of telling a story that goes far beyond expectations, Dordogne is a story that strikes the soul, thanks to an excellent play system. Must have absolutely.

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Elegant and minimalist, Humanity is an excellent puzzle game. Its philosophy, effectively represented by the constant stream of humans to be led to safety, is supported by excellent technical realization and over-the-top design. Despite levels lasting dozens of minutes, the trials it subjects the player to are al-ways challenging and entertaining thanks to a number of solutions designed to enhance the player's ex-perience, such as the ability to repeat the scenario with given commands, speed up the passage of time, and actual video walkthroughs.

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A "radio" horror game in full 80s style. As a DJ you will have to follow the tracks of an elusive serial killer, trying to save his next potential victims and put together the pieces of an impossible puzzle. All while remaining seated at your console... or almost! Brilliant with some minor flaws and multiple endings to lengthen an otherwise poor longevity.

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MotoGP 23 is the qualitative leap that the Milestone series needed. We are not talking about revolutions, it would be unrealistic to think so, but about consistent improvements in all the characteristic aspects of the title, from the simulation verve through an engaging career, from a high-profile technical sector to the physical and mental sensations of the race, where the AI exhibits new behaviors although some issues still persist

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Harmony: The Fall of Reverie ia a narrative videogame with an intense story. Even if the play structure is not original, it is still well blended into the context and works admirably. A must have if you are a fan of the Don't Nod stories.

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Slayers X is an FPS old school that engages and entertains from start to finish. His story, as simple as it is effective, offers a very detailed context. Furthermore, the gunplay, the approach and the various methods for dealing with enemies are the real spearhead of the work. Must have absolutely.

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Bread & Fred is hard in solo, almost impossible in co-op, it still manages to be a lot of fun provided you have a lot of patience and understanding with your partner. Dedicated to those who love extreme platformers, but casual players might find it too frustrating.

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Amnesia: The Bunker manages to be a challenging and unsettling experience without falling into the easy temptation of jumpscares or holding the player's hand too much. Whether you memorized the previous chapters or decided to give the Amnesia saga a chance for the first time, this game proves to be a new success achieved by Frictional Games and a satisfying experience for all survival horror lovers.

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Bum Simulator could have simply offered vulgarities with no real purpose, but instead include a quite demential but nevertheless interesting story to follow, and a good crafting system. The world to explore is small, the combat system isn't enough complex and technically it could be way better, but in the end the formula works.

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Yet another top-view roguelite action-shooter with a sci-fi theme, a genre enjoyed by a large audience who will find in Replikator everything they have loved in dozens of similar games. Originality is not its strong suit, but variety is not lacking and three levels of difficulty make it suitable for a very wide audience. If you can turn a blind eye to a less-than-stellar aesthetic compartment (but the soundtrack deserves applause), we assure you that you will have fun.

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This re-release of Raiden III doesn't add anything new, but it packs and brings to the audience a fun and solid vertical scrolling arcade game. The price is a little high, but enthusiasts will appreciate it.

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Cassette Beasts is an addictive and fun videogame that pleasantly engages and excites. It offers a fascinating story and context, as well-implemented sensitive themes. A must have especially for the play structure.

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With its poor graphics and a lower amount of content than the previous chapter, Farming Simulator 23 raises more than one perplexity. Once you find the right rhythm, you will see some interesting ideas, but the impression is that, with a little more foresight, a more enjoyable simulation could be ob-tained without compromising its "pure and hard" soul.

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