The Games Machine

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is a valid sequel that shares its predecessor's compelling setting and some of its characters, while also introducing new mechanics. Stress could perhaps have been better handled, being essentially neglegible most of the time and nerve-wracking during the new time-limited contracts, but that's pretty much the only real criticism I can move at the game.

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The beautifully reconstructed monastery exudes gothic eeriness, while the story explores the cruelty of religious institutions of the time. Despite some technical flaws, the game offers a compelling experience for fans of the genre, who have been on a diet lately; almost fasting, I would say.

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There is no plot worthy of being followed and the entire production is simplified compared to the major exponents of the genres from which it is inspired. If you are looking for an immediate and no-frills experience, you might appreciate it; otherwise, it risks being repetitive.

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Synduality: Echo of Ada is an extraction shooter poor in content and plagued by a pay to win system. The slow progression make a frustrating experience.

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At the end of the day, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a great game and remains so even in the PC version. The much-talked-about conversion operated by Nixxes eventually turned out to be good, though still not great, thanks in part to a hotfix that fixed several of the problems that raised so much controversy. Wandering around the New York City shaped by Insomniac remains a great experience, as rewarding in the combat phases as in the aerial exploration phases hanging from the web. Support for DualSense and its in-depth use is another plus point.

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Firaxis Games confirms Sid Meier's legacy and puts Civilization VII on top of the 4X genre. They somehow manage to introduce revolutionary new high-level systems and fine-tune a huge amount of details to make the game experience smoother than ever. All hail the King!

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KCD2 is a huge medieval RPG that carries all the strengths and a handful of rough edges of its predecessor, integrating them into an incredibly realistic world and epic narrative. It expands, refines and enriches the legacy of the first chapter in an excellent way in practically every way, so for those who appreciated KCD it is a must-buy.

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Tales of Graces F Remastered is a must for fans of the series and a great opportunity for those who want to approach the franchise with one of its most technical and satisfying chapters. Although the Wii origins of the title are evident, the improvements of the remaster and the refined combat system make it an engaging experience even for modern players.

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Eternal Strands is an action-adventure with a rather generic, if enjoyable, aesthetic and gameplay that takes a while to get going. However, when you manage to uncover its best cards, you'll find yourself immersed in a well-conceived, well-written and damn entertaining title.

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Threefold Recital is narrative game with light investigative elements, by which I mean that more often then not a wrong deduction will simply lead to the main characters correcting themselves. But the story itself is compelling, the dialogue is snappy, and the minigames are varied enough.

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Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is not perfect. It tries to make up for the dastardly mistakes made by the Sigma series, but it succeeds only partially and fails to replicate that perfect intensity that Tomonobu Itagaki managed to get right in 2008. It remains, however, the best version of the game currently available on modern systems, thanks in part to Unreal Engine 5, which enhances its aesthetics to excellent levels. It may not be entirely worthy of the Black suffix, but this Ninja Gaiden 2 still deserves your attention as you await the fourth chapter.

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Sniper Elite: Resistance is a solid "more of the same" of the fifth chapter, or a "Hitman with a sniper rifle" for the ones not used to the series. And it feels good.

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Planet Coaster 2 suffers from sequel syndrome: the original Planet Coaster eight years after its release is still a benchmark of the genre and it is difficult to do better. Planet Coaster 2 tries by adding water attractions that significantly expand the possibilities offered to the player. What has remained unchanged, however, is the underlying structure, which is certainly solid, but not always smooth: before you get to resent it, in any case, dozens and dozens of hours of fun will pass.

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Ender Magnolia follows in the footsteps of Ender Lilies by delivering a longer-than-average metroidvania with a fun combat system and a very pleasing art style, especially when it comes to backgrounds. However, while its story beats are by no means bad, they lack the spark that was present in Ender Lilies.

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A traditional metroidvania with a fascinating setting that mixes Japanese folklore and cyberpunk, brought to life by excellent pixel-art. The classic gameplay is enhanced by a mechanic that allows you to manipulate time and matter. A couple of bugs and a few minor technical stumbles, as well as an imperfect difficulty balance, however, prevent Blade Chimera from aspiring to the Olympus of the genre.

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With nine worlds of fantastic action-platforming, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD has aged rather well and is still a pleasure to play, despite its sequel Tropical Freeze remaining the series' high point.

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The rebirth of the Musou dynasty starts with Dynasty Warriors: Origins. A greater emphasis on duels against officers and bosses combines with better management of battlefield resources to give Tecmo Koei's armies a new soul. Not being able to directly impersonate its legendary heroes weighs a bit and the absence of a multiplayer mode almost feels like an affront, but nevertheless this is the restart the series needed.

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On Your Tail is a lively journey through Liguria in the role of the young Diana, a Turinese in search of inspiration for her new work. Built well and with soul, the title reaches the heart of the player with simplicity and skill, leveraging the memories and memories of the past of each of us. It is not easy, if we think about it, to be able to tell oneself with memories. Long live memories, then, but also beautiful Italian video games. And On Your Tail is a beautiful Italian video game.

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Freedom Wars Remastered is an operation that fails to restore luster to its former glory. Already narratively it was not something never seen before that could be defined as seminal and, even today, unfortunately the absence of a charismatic character is felt throughout. Not helping are the technical problems, such as a slowdown in the pace due to excessively long loads and an unstimulating work from a gameplay point of view, really old.

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Nintendo cares about our health and to prove it brings us a new chapter of the Fitness Boxing series, urging us to get off the couch and follow the workout routines of inflexible virtual trainers. The playful streak of titles like Ring Fit Adventure and Boxing Fist of the North Star disappears in favour of more serious training based on the fundamentals of boxing. Worth considering if you're looking for an excuse to burn off those Christmas calories.

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