The Games Machine

RPGs have been an ever-evolving genre for years, and while most developers strive to introduce some new details to innovate, Dungeon Encounters follows the path of hardcore minimalism. The result is a game that looks outdated and with rusty game mechanics, sold at a price that is everything but minimal. It offers a couple of interesting details but also wild grinding, very repetitive gameplay, and poor graphics. We should expect more than that from Square Enix.

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Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is still an intruguing survival horror experience with creepy atmosphere and engaging story, but younger audiences may not like its old-style controls and slow pace.

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Despite some relatively minor issues, especially in the graphical compartment, Age of Empires IV is an excellent new chapter in the history of one of the most beloved RTS sagas. Relic Entertainment and World's Edge kept true to the roots of the series while at the same time not forgetting to innovate the formula in interesting and creative ways.

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Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy gets back to the classic singleplayer formula, steering away from the hybrid attempt of Marvel's Avengers and piecing together gameplay elements from Tomb Raider, Mass Effect and even Knights of the Old Republic to make a quite unique choral adventure.

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A small-scope but excellent game with very clear ideas, enjoyable, sincere and particularly exciting when the going gets tough, like during very intense boss fights. Pimping our ride to make it look even more aggressive and suited to the post apocalyptic world feels great. A Mad Max-like shoot 'em up is exactly what we needed.

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Killsquad is a game that evolved significantly since it first arrived onto Early Access two years ago, and the result is a solid twin-stick shooter with looter elements. When it comes to loot drops, the balance is unfortunately a bit off, but overall the game is a fun mix of genres.

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Good writing but the rest is sub-par. In particular, the tiny size of combat arenas makes any attempt of strategizing utterly irrelevant.

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House of Ashes marks a change of pace compared to the previous episodes of the Dark Pictures Anthology, proposing a horror story that also focuses strongly on the action. The plot, which incorporates elements of films such as Aliens, Predator and The Descent – Descent into Darkness, does not shine for originality, but it is still enjoyable and sufficiently articulated.

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Finally, hand tracking has been put to good use! I love air-guitaring with Unplugged, I just wish all the songs were available from the start.

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Once upon a time there was a survival horror that stood out, at the same time, as a masterpiece and a model that would be the cornerstone of the new shooter-like spirit of the series. Once upon a time but also in this very day, again, with Resident Evil 4 VR, virtual reality port not perfect, but very enjoyable.

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The Riftbreaker will throw you on an alien planet both lush and unforgiving, in what could be the perfect mix between a survival RTS and an action/shooter game.

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The Caligula Effect 2 is the kind of experience that works on paper, with a good basic idea and potentially intriguing protagonists. The game, however, is a hymn to banality and boredom without any redeeming traits. Fans (?) of the first game, with which it shares a weak narrative link, might find this game interesting. Everyone else should stay away.

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Inscryption turned out to be a small surprise, an indie title that breaks the rules of card games offering players something more elaborate and exciting, by adding in a mixture of roguelite, puzzle and horror. A pity that the game has no voiceover: it would have made its particular setting feel even more alive.

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Back 4 Blood isn't perfect and doesn't revolutionize zombie-themed co-op FPS, but it effectively demonstrates that, thirteen years later, the right ideas can revitalize superb but dusty gameplay.

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Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl tries to be a challenger for Super Smash Bros. and aims for the weak spot of his opponent, showing off a stable and solid netcode. A good multiplayer and tight controls, though, are not enough to reach the stars. The roster is good and varied, but a little scarce right now (maybe DLCs will fill the gap) and characters lack characterization (no pun intended): a pity, because Nickelodeon's original voices and music would have added a lot of value to the game.

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Alan Wake remastered is a good upgrade, both for old fans and new. The new textures and the modernized lighting system make the game a lot prettier to look at. A pity the cutscenes are 30 fps locked and their animations a bit sluggish, though.

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The Crysis Remastered Trilogy gives new life to three outstanding shooters of the recent past.

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles is basically the typical video game taken from an animated series that you would expect from Cyberconnect2: a delicious banquet for fans and yet another display of the technical know-how of the Japanese company in terms of 3D modeling and cel shading animation.

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Metroid Dread convincingly shows that Samus Aran is, after so many years, still at the (or very near to) the top of the genre it helped define. MercurySteam's creation is exhilarating, well balanced and beautiful to look at; even the somewhat atypical E.M.M.I. sections are competently integrated with the rest of the game.

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Lone Echo II proves once again how Read at Dawn is a top-of-the-class developer when it comes to VR.

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