Gaming Professors

Hogwarts Legacy presents itself as an RPG set in the Harry Potter universe. In reality, however, it’s just a generic open-world game with nothing original to offer, and without its connection to this famous franchise, no one would have given it a second glance a week after release. At times, this adventure can be entertaining, especially in the first half. But the lifeless world, the bland protagonist, and the boring quests will eventually wear you down. It could have turned out much worse, but we’ll still have to wait a while for a well-made RPG from the Wizarding World. Hogwarts Legacy squanders most of its potential and, in the end, offers only a very uninteresting facade.

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Little Witch Nobeta is a wonderful, simple witchcraft game starring a little witch. The game lacks absolutely nothing, except for more stable keyboard controls. The visuals look fantastic, as do the soundtrack and voice acting—the only thing that bothers me about the audio is the little witch’s constant whining. Still, there’s one thing I’d like from Little Witch Nobeta: for there to be even more of it.

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Octopath Traveler II is definitely a fantastic sequel that both veterans and newcomers will appreciate. Eight playable characters, plenty of side quests, and essential strategy ensure that you’ll enjoy the game for over a hundred hours. All of this is accompanied by 16-bit graphics that are certainly nothing to scoff at. As for the soundtrack, there’s nothing to complain about here. Personally, I played Octopath Traveler II in the original Japanese version, and I have to say that the voice acting is truly professional. Music lovers will also find plenty to enjoy.

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Scars Above is a high-quality survival sci-fi horror game that will completely draw you in. Its intuitive controls, perfect sound design, classic story, and very likable main character will appeal to just about anyone. Unfortunately, I can’t shake the feeling that the one thing that really drags the game down is the lack of a minimap. We’ll see if the developers add one in a future patch, but it doesn’t look likely at the moment.

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Blood Bowl 3 is a turn-based sports strategy game that blows my mind. I love the visuals, character upgrades, cutscenes, and how great the AI is. Sometimes a player dies on the field, but that’s just American football in the Warhammer universe. What I still don’t get is pouring money into a game that will end up like Resident Evil Re:Verse—which I doubt anyone plays—but at least that one has stable servers.

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Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe is a remake of a 2.5D platformer that’s over a decade old; despite some nice additions, you can tell it’s showing its age. It doesn’t particularly excel in any one aspect, but at the same time, it manages to stay at least slightly above average in every one. It’s an experience better suited for co-op play and younger players, who will likely be much more enthusiastic about the game. Technically, it could be polished a bit more, but it’s by no means a disaster. Recommended with caution, as there are higher-quality titles in the same genre.

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The Settlers – New Allies is one huge disappointment. The remake of the old Settlers series has turned out terribly, and I may have been unnecessarily harsh in my review, but I don’t think there’s any other way to put it. The game handles very well, runs smoothly, and is packed with high-quality audiovisuals, but it’s just so, so lacking. Especially when it comes to the difficulty, which I think would be easy even for a preschooler. Not to mention that if the game is already falling apart, why is that tricky real-money store even working? If you’re looking for a strategy game that will make you sweat, analyze the situation, and think about your next move, you definitely won’t find it in this game.

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Returnal is just as fantastic on PC as it was nearly two years ago on the PlayStation 5. If you’ve been dreaming of astronaut Selene Vassos’s adventure and are planning to pick it up, I can wholeheartedly recommend this game. Both the gameplay and technical aspects are definitely a success, and when you add the great story and production values to the mix, this is one of the best ports ever to arrive on the PC platform. There’s no need to beat around the bush—the PC version of Returnal earns a nine and a half out of ten from us. I really struggled to find any negatives—perhaps just the potential frustration from prolonged failure. That, however, is part and parcel of the rogue-lite genre.

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Somerville has received mixed reviews, with some singing the praises of its breathtaking art direction full of potential, while others lament the story’s incompleteness. For me, the game was like a roller coaster ride. One moment you’re up, the next you’re down; you’re constantly wondering what lies around the next bend, feeling fear, perhaps even anxiety, but in the end, you’re having fun. That’s exactly how the game made me feel, and if you want to feel the same way, approach it as a piece of experimental art—otherwise, you might perceive its strengths as flaws, and that would be a shame.

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RWBY: Arrowfell is a solid game. It’s a good game with a story that, while somewhat formulaic, is still engaging, and it offers a great adventure. The main characters are entertaining in their diversity, and each one manages to win over fans individually. Unfortunately, the game is severely let down by minor issues that, when they pile up, turn into problems not everyone wants to deal with—and which may deter potential players. For fans of 2D animated games, it’s an entertaining enough experience to keep you busy for a few hours, though it won’t exactly blow you away.

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If you’re up for testing the strength of friendship—or even a relationship—Ship of Fools puts you in the challenging role of world-savers through a cooperative video game. But don’t expect heroes in shiny armor wielding greatswords and accompanied by a large entourage. In Ship of Fools, you’ll become fools crazy enough to face the darkness itself in this rogue-lite game, clear the restless seas of dangerous monsters, and scoop up the treasure. Highly entertaining gameplay, a charming art style, and the ability to smack your companion with a paddle are the highlights that will keep you entertained from start to finish. It’s just a shame that the end comes too soon and no further updates await you.

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Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a fantastic remake, and I’m really glad the studio finally decided to release it outside of Asia. Despite some camera issues, it’s still a very well-made game that deserves your attention. If you enjoy action-packed stories spiced with timeless humor and emotion, you’ll definitely enjoy Like a Dragon: Ishin! Add to that crazy combat, a ton of side activities, and subplots. You’ll experience all of this in the beautiful setting of the Japanese city of Kyoto.

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Atomic Heart is a highly successful take on the legendary BioShock series, from which it clearly draws heavy inspiration. The retro-futuristic Soviet Union setting is exceptionally well-executed and breathes new life into a familiar concept, including a cast of enemies featuring robots and mutants. You’ll enjoy the combat all the more because you can see the damage you’ve inflicted on enemies or even chop off their limbs. The graphics are impressive, and others could take a cue from the optimization here. The sound design, and especially the soundtrack by Mick Gordon, successfully evokes the right atmosphere. However, the game is let down by a relatively underutilized open world, minor bugs in scripted events, and the requirement to use a US keyboard layout. If you liked BioShock, enjoy taking down robots, and want to experience a story with two endings, this is the game for you.

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Minor hiccups aside, Frostpunk is a great city-building strategy game. The difficulty is set just right—you can always scrape by, but at the same time, you’re already forced to start tackling the next crisis looming on the horizon. Only players who like to play cautiously or have empathy for their workers should steer clear. The game is primarily let down by its underutilized alternate history premise, which could have yielded so much more. Beyond that, certain decisions regarding the DLC offerings also smack a bit of cash-grabbing.

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Cyber Shadow is a very solid retro platformer that brings back the golden age of a particular era in the gaming world. There’s clear inspiration from the legendary NES title Ninja Gaiden, which is definitely a good thing. It’s a fairly difficult but fair game that doesn’t try to be anything it’s not and delivers exactly what you’d expect from it. The progression through the game, where you grow stronger and use your wits and skills to take down enemies across original levels, is truly well-executed. The level design, variety of enemies, and smooth gameplay, combined with the well-designed ninja gear and abilities, are the title’s main draws. However, that sense of a great game is dragged down by the emphasis on difficulty, which forces you to rely mainly on precision and timing toward the end of the game, and the fact that some sections are heavily unbalanced. If you’re a fan of the genre, love retro NES platformers, and enjoy a challenge, you definitely won’t be bored.

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At its core, Unsouled is a fun 2D pixel-art action RPG set in Japanese culture. The game focuses primarily on combat, counterattacks, and chaining them into powerful combos, which serve as its cornerstone and driving force. The icing on the cake in this regard is the partially destructible environment, which you can use to your advantage when fighting enemies. You’ll find solid RPG elements here that liven up the gameplay. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of flaws that drag the game down. Enemies are severely unbalanced, regardless of the difficulty level chosen, and the desynchronization of sound with movement spoils the good impression of the combat. Unsouled is definitely not for everyone; it’s more of a title for fans of the gameplay style, the visual presentation, or players seeking a specific challenge.

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In my opinion, Distant Worlds 2 is an unfulfilled ambition. The game is great, well-designed, and offers nearly unlimited possibilities. However, if your preparation goes wrong, it will haunt you until the very end. Furthermore, the glaring lack of need for the player to control anything—except for the most minute management tasks—and the overwhelming complexity of the game’s building tables are terribly detrimental. Players unfamiliar with this genre will struggle, as they’ll never get the chance to even attempt to unlock the game’s full potential. At a price of just under forty-two euros, it’s also a hell of a lot of money for very little bang for your buck.

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Multiversus is a free-to-play game in the style of Mortal Kombat—a 2D side-scrolling brawler. Publisher Warner Bros. Games provided the developers with a wide range of licenses, and the team at Player First Games made the most of this opportunity. The game runs smoothly, doesn’t crash, and features interesting animations and sound design. Crossplay lets you play with friends on almost any decent gaming device, so you can have fun together in yet another great multiplayer title. The downside is the single-player mode, which lacks anything to keep you engaged for long. The biggest flaw, however, lies in the game’s overload of microtransactions, which eventually become quite annoying.

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The Dead Space remake is truly outstanding, sure to delight both die-hard fans of the series and complete newcomers alike. Isaac Clarke is back in top form, thanks in part to new mechanics like the Intensity Director. The brutality is amped up even further, and the already intense atmosphere is even more terrifying. EA Motive crafted this project with great love and respect, and it shows.

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Boxville is a truly delightful point-and-click adventure with a unique charm that you don’t usually find in games. Thanks to its picturesque graphics, sophisticated perspective, polished audio, touching story, and relaxing atmosphere, it’s a game that everyone—young and old, big and small—can enjoy. The entire production reflects just how much love and care the creators poured into this project, making its peaceful message impossible to ignore. Nothing should be overdone, but still, I wish I could spend just a little more time in this cardboard city.

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