XGN.nl's Reviews
When a game is delayed for a long time, it usually doesn't bode well. But Dambuster Studios has delivered a strong zombie-slayer in Dead Island 2, with a lot of content, loads of weapons and anatomically correct zombies. It does have some technical issues, but that doesn't stand in the way of fun.
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PC-players have been waiting a long time for The Last of Us, but alas the port is not up to standards. The performance can swing wildly from scene to scene and there are a lot of technical issues. It's a shame, because the gameplay and especially the story is still a masterpiece. We hope Naughty Dog en Iron Galaxy can fix the issues, because a game as The Last of Us Part 1 deserves a good version on PC.
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Mile 0 is the prequel to Road 96, a highly valued indie game. Sadly, this prequel cannot live up to the expectations. The choose your adventure mechanic doesn't work if the final result is already known, the game is short and marred with technical errors. Also, the game seems designed for mouse and keyboard with controller support added as an afterthought. Sadly, we cannot recommend this game in its current form.
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Many would consider remaking a classic like Resident Evil 4 impossible. However Capcom has taken up the gauntlet and managed to make the classic even better. With an expanded storyline, better movement options and fighting skills, as well as many big and small quality of life improvements, this remake is better in almost every way, except for the graphics, which could have done with a bit more polish
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Destiny 2: Lightfall hits a lot of great notes. The new subclass, Strand, is very cool to use and gives you a lot of new movement options. Neomuna is a true sight to behold and invites players to explore. The most important part of the expansion however is the campaign and even though it has a lot of amazing and cool moments, the story falls short. Lightfall offers up more questions while we should have been getting some answers.
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Moss Book2 is longer, more versatile and graphically better than it's predecessor. Quill (and companions) are adorable as ever, but the even bigger stakes and more interesting puzzles make this follow-up even more interesting. The release together with PS VR2 is welcome and makes this one of the better starter-games of the launch line-up.
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The PC-port of Returnal fixes one of the biggest issues of the Playstation-version; not being able to safely quit the game without losing progress. In keeps its smooth combat, even with a mouse and keyboard and allows the graphics too be even better on modern hardware. An amazing roguelike with just a few minor complaints.
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Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe is a joy to play, particularly in co-op, as two players can spot more secrets than one. However: co-op is also the game's greatest weakness as everything revolves around player one: it's a dated approach to co-op compared to newer games that treat all players as equal participants. Thankfully, improved graphics and great additional content make this new version of Return to Dream Land truly "Deluxe".
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A classic returns in Metroid Prime Remastered. A complete visual overhaul makes the world of the game look better and more detailed than ever before. A new dual-stick control scheme makes the game approachable and palatable for new players, while veterans can opt for controls that mimic the original. Underneath it all, though, the masterpiece that is Metroid Prime Remains unchanged. Some more quality of life improvements could perhaps have been made, but it is a tiny complaint for a near-perfect remaster.
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Atomic Heart offers an unique style and atmosphere with exciting gameplay and an incredible soundtrack. The game, however beautifully crafted, falls short in various departments. The protagonist is absolutely awful and shows no interest in all the stuff that is going on in the world of Atomic Heart. That also leads to not really wanting to explore the world to find all the secrets, because the protagonist just doesn't care.
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When is a remake not a remake? Ishin at times feels like the developers cut corners by incorporating existing models from other games and the original. NPC characters and animations lack refinement and didn't get the overhaul you would expect from a remake. However, the cutscenes and the original story remains strong and the gameplay with its new use of weapons and the added team cards are solid as ever. Together, Ishin fails to rise above the average, which could have been easily avoided.
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Wild Hearts has a magical world and the Kemono are challenging and incredible-looking creatures. The Karakurisystem is definitely the best part of the game and differentiates Wild Hearts from other monster-hunting games. The hunting is great besides some minor frustrations and the world is incredible, but the story is nothing special. It's a basic hero story but it helps build the world of Wild Hearts. Wild Hearts is an incredible game and you should definitely give it a shot!
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A new adventure in the Wizarding World has seemed like an excellent idea for years and Avalanche Software has proven with gusto what is possible. Players are treated to an extensive story with a completely new cast of characters, a beautiful world full of content and a battle system that is strongly put together.
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Dead Space is how a remake is supposed to be. The game is full of big and small improvements that make the experience even more intense, but also even better than the original and that with graphics and sound that are completely current-gen is. When you play the game, it really feels like the Dead Space of before, but as soon as you hold both versions next to each other you only notice well how big the differences actually are. That's exactly what a Really good remake features: the preservation of good elements and improvements that don't stand out.
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Forspoken has a good foundation, but is a mess in execution due to a horrible protaganist, dull combat and technical problems. While there is enough to do in this pretty-looking open world it amounts to very little and so does the story.
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One piece Odyssey celebrates 25 years of the anime by providing a game with gameplay that is at times just as old. The turnbased fights have some interesting new elements, but outside the fights a lot feels oldfashioned. Quests lack a sense of progress, no fast travel during quests and the use of savepoints make this game feel like it hasn't progressed beyond a few decades ago. Fortunately, the anime itself is brilliant and makes you eager to go watch it right after you close the game.
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Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a fine remaster for those wanting to experience the story of Zack Fair before Rebirth comes out. This is however a by the books remaster including all of the cringeworthy dialogue and stiff animations. The new additions and graphical upgrades are really good, but don't expect this to be on the same level as 2020's FFVII Remake.
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With a distinct and interesting artstyle, which mixes a realistic car and city with streetart cartoon drawings for special effects, NFS Unbound definitely sets itself apart from the rest. The game sports a Souls-like mechanism of risk vs reward and a day-night cycle that work, but also hinders progress through the storyline. the races are fun and the many collectibles are well integrated. The near-mandatory police chases quickly become a nuisance and we wouldn't mind if those didn't make a return.
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Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is the 40K-version of the Vermintide games and Fatshark delivers again a fantastic co-op experience. The combat feels visceral and meaty and is a true upgrade compared to the former games. There are however a lot less classes, even though they all feel unique. Some features are clearly removed during production, so hopefully they will get added next to more classes. Fatshark has already released some updates, so the future is looking bright for Darktide.
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Sonic Frontiers is a bold new move for our favourite hedgehog. The open worlds give a sense of freedom and there is a lot to do. Unfortunately the most of it is the mandatory collecting of a lot of stuff to progress through the game. The controls feel good, but at higher speeds they won't always work and the camera is a total disaster. This makes the game way less enjoyable than it should be.
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