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The strength of the Just Dance franchise is that each edition will make the existing fan base happy. The weakness of the Just Dance franchise is that no edition will change the minds of those who can't stand party rhythm games. Just Dance 2025 Edition therefore goes its own way, pleasing fans and not caring about haters. Too bad the camera mode is still in beta and not present in the old songs, on the other hand the improved accessibility options make it a game truly open to everyone, meant to be danced to while jumping all over the house, sitting on a couch or locked in a closet.
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With Ys X Nordics, Falcom reconfirms the pedigree of excellent action role-playing games that it has always boasted in the Japanese production landscape. The new navigation mechanics enrich and multifacet an exploratory system that, if it had been expressed only in the contained three-dimensional maps representing the islands, could have disappointed most. The clash system remains the flagship of the work, especially at higher difficulty levels, but perhaps it is time for the Japanese company to take a further step forward in terms of production values. Adol deserves to be the protagonist of a video game that does not seem to have come out of a distant era.
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Neva makes it clear that GRIS, Nomada Studio's first game, wasn't a one-off exploit. Combining a stunning art style with a touching story and a simple but entertaining combat system, Neva is a beautiful (if a bit short) game that anyone should play. Its only flaw is that, compared to GRIS, its themes are much more obvious, so there is very little sense of mystery and discovery.
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How much potential is there in Shadows of Doubt's ideas, its noir setting, and the special way it lets us experience firsthand every aspect of an investigator's daily life? Too bad for the bugs, for sandbox cases that are less convincing than scripted ones, and for a sensational concept that isn't fully exploited.
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A multi-discipline sports title starring the Looney Tunes is a good idea... in theory. Unfortunately with only nine characters, four disciplines and two modes Wacky World of Sports translates it into a game poor in both content and depth
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A Final Fight-like fighting game with a horror flavour seems the perfect recipe for success. Unfortunately Night Slashers Remake is an unrefined product that only in some elements seems to betray the laziness with which it was developed. A more "meaty" combat system and the addition of a new playable character are not enough to balance a disappointing graphical compartment and some technical issues. Despite all this, the four-players coop mode is still quite fun.
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Mortal Kombat 1 Khaos Reigns is a DLC poor in content, which does not justify its excessive cost. The new balance fixes some issues from the past, but there is still a long way to go.
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Finding the right "number" for Until Dawn Remake is a complex balancing act. On the one hand we have an adventure that works and is entertaining, on the other a re-release that raises eyebrows quite a bit. Taking into account the quality of the work it is im-possible to go below the sufficiency, but it is equally impossible to go higher, considering that the original version costs less than a third and, in terms of gaming experience, does not have any sub-stantial difference.
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Shattered Space is a DLC that expands the lore of the world of Starfield, detailing a pleasant and well-concied tale, which makes clear the gruesome and brutal plot of House Va'ruun, which absolutely deserves consideration, from now on. From a playful point of view, here, I would have expected a little more, with some additions as has happened in the past with other Bethesda works. The final result is still very good.
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surprising narrative that has no problem touching on even rather delicate themes is the basis for creating an essential adventure for every lover of Japanese role-playing games. Metaphor ReFantazio is a sort of wild card that excels in every category.
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Dragon Ball Sparking Zero! is truly the Budokai Tenkaichi 4 fans were waiting for. There are some UX issues and the lack of cross-play is a bummer (as for the split screen local versus available only in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber), but really, who can complain about the game overall?
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: Undisputed has the flavor of a title assault launched too soon. Steel City Interactive's ambition is evident and even well-founded, given the goodness of the boxing model created, but it has led the studio to take a step a little too far. The game was born already great and not all aspects enjoyed the same care given to combat, such as the Career Mode that exalts between the ropes, but is as flat as the paperwork in the outline. Still, it is a good title, especially for those who care little for frills and are interested only in the barrel, on which a new and promising dynasty can be built in the future.
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Bloober Team delivers a pretty good remake with some elements that are not fully convincing. Fans of the original game will appreciate the faithfulness to the source material and the fact that this blends well with the few but important changes in terms of gameplay. Unfortunately, a lot of fog has passed on the streets of Silent Hill 2, and now there's a new sheriff in town called Alan Wake 2, who has brought lots of fresh things to the horror genre, becoming the new benchmark.
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Vessel of Hatred is the expansion that was needed to give a touch of novelty to Diablo IV, let's say exotic. With several substantial contents, a morbid attention to the co-op component and some new features with a strong personality, Vessel of Hatred is a succession of dark adventures and an unmissable expansion for every Diablo IV fan.
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Disney Epic Mickey is back, this time as a multiplatform title. The game formula is still enjoyable thanks to the magic brush mechanic and the graphic facelift operated by Purple Lamp is appreciable, as are the improved camera system. Unfortunately, the longevity remains quite poor, also due to secondary activities that are not particularly stimulating.
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Vampire - The Masquerade: Reckoning of New York is the worst chapter of the visual novel version of the franchise. Listless, without bite and with an uninteresting protagonist. The trilogy ends with a chapter below expectations.
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Rogue Waters is a roguelite with turn-based combat that is certainly not among the most complete around, but it benefits from a fascinating setting and interesting use of pushing and projecting to create domino effects and quickly get rid of enemies. What's more, it has a story to be followed all in one go or by taking breaks while engaging in the many side quests. Unfortunately, the naval combat section was not articulated enough, but the battles and character growth lift the fortunes of this production, which will not fail to thrill lovers of turn-based combat.
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Excellent and always on point, Kan Gao succeeds in the complex attempt to propose an adventure as usual special and touching, touching the right chords through a simple but effective plot. The goal of the production is to revive part of the experience of To the Moon, a goal that is achieved in an absolutely noble way. The gameplay, not particularly changed compared to the past, focuses on classic and already known dictates. Also on this front, but because the operations of the Canadian developer do not change, not much could be expected. He prefers to focus on emotions, showing them off. An excellent act of beauty.
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A remastered work as simple as it is effective, and I will certainly be repetitive. Lollipop Chainsaw RePop arrives at the goal and with an interesting purpose: to be able to entertain old players and beyond. It could be fitting in after finishing other more challenging, such as a Frostpunk 2, or an alternative Black Myth: Wukong, in which knowing how to beat is an obligation.
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God of War: Ragnarok lands on PC with a porting that is perfect, prudent to the right point and wise beyond measure. Thanks to scalability and optimization, practically anyone can enjoy the exploits of Kratos and Atreus. If you also have a recent gaming PC, then your journey into the myth will be absolutely unforgettable.
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