XGN.nl's Reviews
New Tales from the Borderlands makes an attempt at recreating the magic of the original game by Telltale. Unfortunately, that studio's magic touch is not present in this new title. There is fun to be had, especially for Borderlands fans. but New Tales from the Borderlands does not suck you in, nor does it get much better as it goes on.
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God of War Ragnarok is an amazing feat in storytelling, combat, characters, and spectacle. This gripping adventure about a father and son trying to do what is right keeps hooked throughout while putting you through the wringer both in its gameplay and emotional storytelling. Ragnarok builds on 2018 in every aspect cementing it as a masterpiece in gaming.
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The Chant offers a mix of horror you don't see often in games. It combines survival-horror with elements that could come straight out of a H.P. Lovecraft book. Besides a few flaws the game looks great and the gameplay keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole way. The gameplay could use a bit more depth, especially the combat and the skill tree and sometimes you miss a bit of balance. Still, if you start this game, be ready for a ride that keeps the blood pressure going up and down.
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Bayonetta 3 is not a perfect game. It doesn’t look as good as possible nowadays, bit makes you forget about that really fast. The action is bizarre, stylish and fast paced and the game offers enough variation to make you enjoy it for tens of hours.
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Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef looks good at a glance. The graphic style is one to love and the humor is on par. The game only suffers from framedrops and crashes, that force you to play entire parts all over again. Besides that, the game offers a brainless gameplay for up to four players. you can play online or offline as you wish, unlock new weapons and wreck utter chaos with them. Still, for 20 euros a game with hard crashes feels a bit too expensive.
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This game is fun for kids but not for full price. It is too short. But the dragons are cool and it's nice that there is a small skill tree.
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Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle could perhaps be seen as a weird experiment that owed its success to good release timing. The sequel, Sparks of Hope, proves that view incorrect. The foundations of this strategy RPG remain strong as ever, while several gameplay changes, such as free movement during battle, provide countless new ways to strategise. You may unfortunately forget about some heroes, but it is a small price to pay for a such a solid strategy experience. (That also looks gorgeous!)
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Gotham Knights is a good game dragged down by a few mechanics that feel a little out of place. The story, characters, and gameplay is really fun, strengthened by a great-looking open world, and tons of stuff to do. The fact that you'll need to do all of it in 30 fps is a big problem though, although some co-op makes up for it a little.
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The rats are coming, again! Requiem is bigger, bolder and more beautiful than it's predecessor. The story is both huge and intimate, which is an accomplishment in its own. Requiem builds on what Innocence set out to do, and does everything better.
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This game is very ambitious and to some extent is able to fulfill that. The environment is gorgeous and driving through the different areas each have their own challenges. The game doesn't fully feel finished. Technical issues ranging from superficial to gamebreaking and some key functions are simply missing. The AI really isn't very good, and the game really needs the promised photo mode and free roam. The game really has potential, and if the promised additions are there, it might be able to deliver.
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Although the story is pretty boring there is much fun to be found thanks to the combat systems and plenty of secrets to uncover in this bleak world. That's why Valkyrie Elysium is a fantastic time if you're keen on some fighting action.
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Let's Build a Zoo is a modern take on zoo management games like Zoo Tycoon. The game is very unique in the genre and has a choice system that actually matters. A huge part of the game is collecting all animals and this is very addicting because there are many animals with fun designs to collect. The port to console is alright but not perfect. Controls could be slow and frustrating at times. But nevertheless is this still a game you should try if you enjoy managment and simulation games.
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The Diofield Chronicle is a refreshing take on the tactical battle game where positioning is key. The game offers a wide variety of missions, enemies and teammates, but is slightly let down by a leveldesign that doesn't fully explore the tactical possibilities and a control scheme that doesn't always get the job done. Still, the game has plenty to offer to keep you interested during its 40-some hour campaign.
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FIFA 23 is trying to give new footballing experiences to players, but falls short on many levels. Graphically the game is extremely impressive and the new match day experiences add a new sensation when stepping on the pitch. However, the problems of old, like janky animations and general slowness, are still present in the gameplay and keep frustration alive. All these things make FIFA 23 a mixed bag of awe and annoyances.
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While LEGO Brawls features both long-term themes like Ninjago and new ones like Hidden Side, the game lacks variety and a focus on gameplay. While you can unlock new parts for your minifig, those parts have no effect on gameplay. The lack of gameplay depth limits the time you want to spend on this game before is becomes too repititive, which is too bad as LEGO has more than enough variation in its themes and characters. All in all the feeling remains that this could have been a lot better.
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F1 Manger 2022 is a strong management game that eases you into the role of managing your entire F1 team. On the get-go, you get introduced to the basics, but the more complex options are for you to find out. Some implementations leave room for improvement, especially the handling of DRS and tyre-choices. The races are visualized excellently. ideal for those new or interested in the sport, but those that find themselves experts might find it lacking in tweaking options.
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This year's NBA 2K game is one of the best in recent years. The MyCareer mode has an actual interesting story with a great cast of characters. The Jordan challenge is an incredible addition to the game and is really fun to play through. MyTeam is basically the same as last year but added Triple threat co-op, which is cool. The game does have some framerate issues and camera bugs which could be annoying but every good aspect of the game makes up for it.
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A solid remaster with improved graphics and mostly great gameplay. The controls aren't always mapped handily, but the gameplay remains solid. The many references to the original Pac-Man are great, but the frequent need to backtrack is not. The levels are well designed while the bosses have a lot of variety. The game isn't very long, thich means it doesn't overstay it's welcome.
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Splatoon 3 is as fun as the last two games. The game got some quality of life changes which makes it a little better than the last one. The story mode is incredibly fun and every level is new and different. Nintendo has another gem on their hands with Splatoon 3.
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Steelrising is a very unique Soulslike game. The developers clearly tried to make this game as French as possible and this worked well. The combat is fun and the bosses are also uniquely designed. The story is where Steelrising missed the mark. All characters look the same and it's just very boring to go through. The checkpoints and currency could have been better. The Assisst mode is the best aspect of this game, it helps newcomers to the Soulslike genre to give them the best experience as possible.
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