Gaming Professors

A game like this isn’t easy to evaluate, because for casual gamers it would be an absurdly difficult, awful, and not very entertaining simulator—one they’d probably spend a couple of hours on after watching The Hunt for Red October or some other submarine-themed spectacle, and that’s about it. But simulators don’t appeal to casual gamers. They have their own fans, who laugh off complaints about the graphics and difficulty. So now more than ever, it depends on which category you fall into. And even though every modern reviewer scoffs at catchphrases like “if you’re a fan, add two points”—which were so popular in the early days of game reviewing—that’s actually the case with games this niche. I truly believe that the average player will give the game a try, but the flaws will bother them. On the other hand, a fan of the genre—who doesn’t really have much to choose from these days—will be satisfied. I experienced this myself with Western games back in the days before Red Dead Redemption. However, at the time of writing this review, the game cost eight euros on Steam, and that’s an amount I’m willing to spend even for a few hours of entertainment—after all, that’s not even the price of a movie ticket these days.

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Astro Bot is, without any exaggeration, one of the best 3D platformers ever released, and it also ranks among the best modern video games, regardless of genre. It excels at constantly surprising the player and showering them with ideas that are not only original and engaging but also flawlessly integrated into the overall experience. Fans of platformers and those with a soft spot for Sony games—to which Astro affectionately pays homage—will be thrilled. But everyone is in for a great time.

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Roots of Pacha offers a refreshing take on the farming simulator genre, thanks to its new ideas and mechanics, entertaining mini-games, and—last but not least—its emphasis on collective life rather than the protagonist’s individual life. One of the game’s key driving forces is the element of discovering new tools.

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Ugly is a highly atmospheric game that offers challenging logic puzzles and a dark, profound story. Thanks to its unique gameplay mechanics and a style that perfectly complements its content, it delivers an intense, melancholic experience—though it may not be for everyone. Players looking for something more than just a standard platformer will surely appreciate the intense challenge of confronting human depravity.

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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is, in the best sense of the word, a typical sequel—it features everything we loved about the original game, but in a more spectacular and modern presentation. Fans of the first game really have no reason to hesitate. Beyond them, however, I’d also recommend this title to players who have an affinity for old-school third-person shooters, as well as those who’d like to play a horde shooter that’s entertaining even in single-player mode.

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In conclusion, here’s what can be said about Metal Gear Solid V: it’s a perfect game that is, at the same time, enormously unfinished—even at an advanced stage of development. It’s one of the best action-spy thrillers in gaming history, with no real competition, yet it’s still up to three years away from being fully completed. A breathtaking story, interesting characters, superb audiovisual presentation, and fantastic gameplay that lets you play through the game several times in a row without it ever feeling repetitive. Kojima didn’t know how to handle his boss; he refused to make any concessions or compromises, and KONAMI released the game while it was still in an advanced stage of development—which was a huge mistake. In any case, it was absolutely necessary for them, because they didn’t know if the title would pay for itself. Kojima’s arrogance and the publisher’s hard-nosed business approach turned the game, on the one hand, into a video game hit, and on the other, into a crippled product that can’t hold its own against its competitors the way it promised—and the way it really should. Since its release in 2015, I’ve been constantly wondering how to rate it and what to make of it. The first half of V is perfect; the second half is rehashed drivel; and the third half never even materialized. Everyone expected the relationship between the developer and the publisher to calm down, for Kojima—with his (justifiably) inflated ego—to come back down to earth, and for the publisher to stop being such a cold-blooded businessman. When you create art, your heart must come first, and money second. Here, money and a wounded ego took precedence, and V suffered indescribable damage as a result. You can still see the effects of that even after these nine years.

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Sweet Transit is an enjoyable city-building strategy game in which the proper functioning of the railroads is the be-all and end-all. The game stands out for its relaxed and intuitive gameplay combined with railroad and city management. The pace of the game is relatively slow at first, but once it picks up, you’ll find yourself at a stage where you’re simply fulfilling the desires of your city’s residents—both in terms of the attractiveness of the environment and the economic aspects. Ultimately, this is a well-crafted game that will delight fans of city-building games and railroad enthusiasts alike

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Star Wars Outlaws is a well-made game. As a major commercial project, it plays it safe, sticking to well-trodden paths, and probably won’t captivate anyone who’s thoroughly fed up with open worlds and has no connection to Star Wars. However, the opposite is also true. If you love stories from a galaxy far, far away, Outlaws offers plenty of both familiar and fresh-feeling elements that are a joy to discover.

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In 2018, it was an extreme disappointment. Six years later, on a next-gen console and running at 60 frames per second, it’s an audiovisual feast. Slowly making your way through the jungle, fleeing a flood or a mudslide—these are stunning visuals you won’t soon forget. Lush vegetation, dungeons, and an indigenous Peruvian tribe hidden from civilization in their own small town—all of this makes Shadow of the Tomb Raider worth playing. On the other hand, the reason to hesitate is the weak, ultimately half-baked story—one that wouldn’t really make you want to play the game in the first place, and wouldn’t even give you a reason to try it. The shootouts are gone, but the stealth sections are excellent. Smearing yourself with mud, hiding in the foliage, and watching the enemies from Trinity—who are already searching for Lara—is perfection in itself. As the conclusion to the trilogy reboot, it’s a major disappointment overall. After all these years with the gorgeous Lara, I was expecting a spectacular finale. If I’d thought this wasn’t the trilogy’s finale but a standalone title—say, a remake of the original third game—I’d be completely satisfied. That’s probably why I’d give it the rating I do. If I consider it the final installment of the trilogy, it gets a 5/10; if I consider it a standalone title, it gets an 8.5/10 from me, with my warmest recommendation. It has everything a gamer needs from a game like this—action, suspense, audiovisual presentation, and a ton of things to discover and explore. The developers chose Peru brilliantly—even better than Siberia in Rise of the Tomb Raider. And Siberia was incredibly beautiful!

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Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a well-crafted JRPG based on the popular Suikoden series. The game offers an engaging story that doesn’t revolve solely around the main character, but branches out to include other characters and their perspectives on the situation. Storytelling and the large cast of characters are among the game’s cornerstones. It’s a solid retro JRPG that’s sure to captivate players, and as such, it’s a worthy successor to Suikoden.

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CYGNI: All Guns Blazing offers plenty of fun for anyone who wants to play it casually—simply dodging obstacles, destroying enemy missiles, and admiring the visual design. And, of course, it’s also suitable for players who aren’t drawn to shoot ’em ups where a single hit means game over. On the other hand, the game cannot be recommended to anyone who likes to chase perfect runs and the highest possible score. This type of player will likely set CYGNI aside after a few hours.

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If you’re looking for a game that supports up to four players on a single console and just want to relax and have some fun in an action RPG, give this a try. The game is easy to understand, stripped of all in-depth and complex mechanics, and therefore suitable for children. If you’re familiar with the world of Minecraft and enjoy it, you have an advantage. In that case, you can add one point to your rating. If that’s not enough for you, you can enhance the game with several paid DLCs packed with additional content. Otherwise, you might be put off by the ugly graphics, the resulting clutter, and the bland, even sparse, story. If you want something more complex in this genre, you’re better off playing Diablo.

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DayZ is an interesting PvP/PvE survival game that, compared to the competition these days, doesn’t offer anything particularly exceptional. The game’s outdated graphics and certain mechanics are clearly evident. However, what definitely keeps it in the spotlight is its active player community and modders. If you’re looking for an online game where you’ll battle other players who might be lurking in any building, big or small, and you enjoy survival games regardless of the visuals, you’ll have fun with DayZ.

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Overall, Autopsy Simulator is a game that offers players a compelling psychological narrative with authentic—albeit tedious—gameplay. It features an impressive blend of educational content that demystifies the autopsy process and highlights the importance of forensic science. Thanks to detailed case studies, interactive tools, and immersive design, the game serves as an excellent resource for those who want to explore the intricacies of pathology. Whether you’re a budding pathologist, a science student, or simply curious about the complexities of the human body and death, Autopsy Simulator is worth checking out. However, if you love horror, you might want to try The Mortuary Assistant instead.

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Reviewing F1 24 is quite a difficult task, as there are several important aspects to consider. On the one hand, you get a career mode that’s been overhauled almost from the ground up, now offering you greater opportunities for career growth. On the other hand, however, the developers have introduced a modified driving model that leans a bit more toward arcade-style gameplay, which kind of hints that EA and Codemasters have decided to make this installment accessible to a wider audience. While this move may be positive for many, there will also be plenty of players who will hate it. We can therefore recommend F1 24 primarily to those fans and players who aren’t looking for a hardcore simulation and just want to relax while playing. For everyone else, I’d rather recommend checking out the older F1 23, which has a nearly perfect driving model. Seven out of ten.

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Even in Early Access, Undying is a truly outstanding game that plays with your emotions. The game’s overall atmosphere is perfectly enhanced by its stunning graphics and the accompanying artistic soundtrack. If you enjoy survival games and zombie themes but don’t want to play as a character who’s a killing machine from the start, I can highly recommend this game.

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It’s time to wrap up this magical fairy tale. Ember Knights has everything I want from the roguelike genre: a nearly endless cycle of progression, a diverse world, the chance to curse at my teammates—but above all, magical graphics that make me feel like I’m one of the fighting flames myself. The only thing I’m missing—and I really, really miss it—is a solid story, because this game deserves one. It also bothers me a little that it bears an extremely dangerous resemblance to Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur—so much so that it almost feels like a copy of it, even though it doesn’t have a co-op mode. But that’s probably something every player who tries both games will have to decide for themselves. All I’ll say is, get your sparklers ready—it’s time to set out to save the universe and slay every hideous monster you come across.

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Cat Quest III is a worthy sequel to the series, introducing new features and improvements in several key areas. The game boasts a fun pirate setting, innovative gameplay mechanics, and an overall refined design. Although it lacks greater difficulty, it offers plenty of content and charm to keep you engaged throughout your playthrough. With its charming art style, humor, and abundance of activities, Cat Quest III is a great addition to the series that will appeal to both new players and fans of the previous installments.

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Creatures of Ava is an exceptional game that can both move and delight you. It combines a magical world full of adorable creatures with deep emotional resonance and an original story. Despite minor technical flaws and occasional monotony, it offers a unique experience full of powerful moments. If you’re looking for a game that will tug at your heartstrings and offer something more than just traditional gameplay mechanics, Creatures of Ava is a great choice.

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KAKU: Ancient Seal is a fun and visually appealing action-adventure game that, while it won’t blow anyone away with its originality or innovation, is nonetheless solid and entertaining at its core. It’s particularly recommended for younger players and those looking for some light-hearted relaxation. It’s also clear that the developers are making noticeable progress with every update.

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