The Games Machine

Monster Sanctuary merges a complex turn-based combat RPG we are used to see in big JRPG productions with metroidvania-style exploration and succeeds in both genres. Pixel perfect jumps alternate with tactical battles down to the last hitpoint, and we'll need the help of our monsters to overcome difficult areas and solve puzzles. Meanwhile, an interesting storyline compels us as we catch enemy eggs, Pokémon style. So many genres mixed in one game, and such a pretty one to boot! Highly recommended.

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After 30 years, the original Fire Emblem gets a Western release, an English localization and some new features meant to smoothen the experience. It's a neat history lesson, but gameplay wise Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light shows its age.

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Cyberpunk 2077 is a wild journey within an incredibly fascinating setting; some technical uncertainties destined to disappear and a partial repetitiveness limit its glory, but overall it is an adventure worthy of William Gibson himself. Cyberpunk 2077 allowed me to finally feel immersed in that pen & paper RPG I discovered in 1988, pouring rain clouding my view in a kaleidoscope of neon signs, just as I had imagined while leafing through those pages. Some may not consider it a perfect game, but I do.

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Twin Mirror is a good adventure, albeit with its flaws. Even without infusing its new IP with the same depth of character development shown in past works, DONTNOD still managed to create a well done self-contained story and enrich it with interesting additional mechanics. But despite all this, Twin Mirror's story feels like it could have used a few more hours.

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Ringfit Boxing 2 is a strange mix between WiiFt and Just Dance, but it works. Since you can't get out a lot nowadays, if you like training having a fitness app you can use and enjoy everywhere may be a good idea. Motion detection is quite accurate and the daily training program has a good variety of exercises. It won't last forever, but it should do its job until the lockdown ends.

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Immortals: Fenyx Rising is much more than a simple Zelda: Breath of the Wild clone. Ubisoft's open-world epic adventure delivers a compelling and fun game that we hope will become a new, successful franchise.

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Empire of Sin is a competent hybrid that borrows mechanics from tycoon games, turn-based tactics and RPGs. Unfortunately, the game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches that risk compromising the experience.

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Chronos: Before the Ashes arrives too late to the party. Years ago, the main character's aging mechanic would have been enough to grant it attention and praise. Today, it's barely a spark of light in a technically dated game. The fact that the controls aren't terribly responsive and the narrative is a bit confused don't help either. Souls-addicted players might find its ten hours of length an enjoyable diversion, but that's about it.

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Godfall is not a title without its charms. The combat system is solid and satisfying, and technically, the game is great proof of PlayStation 5's potential. But cramming levels full of particles effects and shining lights does not necessarily make for good aesthetic design, and Godfall also suffers from a weak story and repetitive endgame.

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It must be said that uploads after each defeat can yield, and that for the same reason we hope that their duration, in any case a few seconds, will be further optimized; in all cases, however, the surprising degree of challenge of Star Wars Tales from the Galaxy's Edge should still be hailed as a positive.

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Football Manager 2020 is another confirmation of Sports Interactive's ability in crafting a great title every year. No revolution is to be expected, but many smaller improvements bring the game ever closer to technical perfection. FM 2021 is clean and optimized, probably also thanks to the fact that the game will also release on Xbox One and Series X|S.

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Exit Limbo: Opening is a violent, charismatic and gore-ish beat 'em up which is not only a videogame, but also an heavy metal band. Just what you need to kiss any pent-up sense of frustration goodbye, for example after a tought day at work or, even worse, of domestic captivity during the lockdown. Immersing yourself in its bloody ultraviolence is somehow liberating and it does not matter if proceeding, at first, will be tough: once you get the hang of the complex control system and the wide range of moves available, dismembering all the enemies will be really fun.

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The Falconeer is an interesting aerial combat game which, however, is weighed down by several burdens that do not allow it to shake off the monotony that arises from its own ambition as an open world.

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The Sims 4 Snowy Escape is yet another proof of Maxis' competence, thanks to a full-bodied expansion on the proposed theme, which will surely be able to please the fans of the franchise. The proposed activities, the Lifestyles system and the whole package of themed objects included will delight many, especially considering how loudly desired by the community they were.

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In a different year, Airplane Mode would be a nothing more than a nice joke, a strange experiment forgotten in a couple of days. In this strange 2020, AMC's first game is instead a sort of relief from the lockdown we are living in. If you miss being stuck in an uncomfortable chair, bored to death for hours, this is the game for you.

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For fans of the original, there will be no problem facing the original Demon's Souls, hard and pure in an aesthetically sumptuous context, damn vivid even in the disturbing rottenness that surrounds it, while for others it may be difficult to swallow an extremely mechanical title, which has exactly the same flaws it had in 2009, especially on the artificial intelligence side. However, the experience remains fascinating, thanks above all to a masterful level design, galvanizing as well as terrifying, that dictates the rhythm of a role-playing experience that is certainly solid and violent.

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System Redux brings the original Observer to new heights thanks to revised gameplay mechanics and redesigned visuals. Looks gorgeous on next-gen consoles.

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Hyrule Warriors: The Age of Calamity is a well-made Musou, which tries to break the preconceptions with which the saga often tends to clash in the West, taking its cue from one of the best games ever. The result is ambitious and effective, albeit with some reservations mainly due to the Switch's technical limitations.

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Under normal circumstances, Beyond Light would have been a somewhat decent expansion with little new content, despite an engaging plot. However, the vaulting of much of the old content – most of which paid in hard cash by the users – represents an unforgivable sin since all the new activities and equipment of Beyond Light fail to come close to the amount of content removed. If Bungie continues to walk on this self-destructive path, it risks to irreparably compromise the future of Destiny 2.

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This is the great return of a much-appreciated saga: lots of content, a non-linear campaign and various improvements manage to overshadow some technical imperfections. And above all, shooting is pretty damn fun.

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