4News.it's Reviews
Quake II Remastered is proof that making reissues of old masterpieces is not only good and right, but also possible to do without lending itself to greed. With a practically perfect technical operation, graced by a lavish content profile (with even an all-new expansion signed by the developers of the recent Wolfenstein) and a brutally honest price tag, this 1997 masterpiece can finally enjoy its own definitive edition.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Gamedec Definitive Edition is an isometric RPG that is closer to tabletop role-playing games than to other video game representatives of the genre. Unfortunately, it failed to satisfy us due to an investigative system that feels too random. It's a shame, because the choices do have different outcomes, but it's unfortunate that those choices aren't entirely up to us, but rather left to chance. However, the concept and its visual realization make it a title that is at least interesting.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Blasphemous 2 is a polished and corrected version of the first chapter that nevertheless loses a hint of its charm due to choices made in terms of accessibility. But if the compromise has to be a title of this caliber, we can willingly accept it. In fact, we want more Blasphemous 2!
Review in Italian | Read full review
Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is the new effort from the team behind the excellent Shadow Tactics and Desperados III, confirming their great capabilities. Mimimi Games makes yet another fantastic action stealth strategy, this time drawing from pirate imagery and enriching it with supernatural powers. The focus on coordinated actions and almost total freedom of action is tempered by gameplay ideas that make the experience both more varied and accessible, without ever losing the feeling of gratification for each well-executed plan. Even with a few minor smears.... let's toast in joy with rum!
Review in Italian | Read full review
Gord bids to be a link between colony sim and city builder, geared toward survival management. The developers' care is evident in the narrative refinement, based on the lore of Slavic mythology, and in the play structure, in which macro and micro management of layered systems are constantly intertwined. However, it is in the overall atmosphere that the Covenant.dev production leaves a distinct mark, conveying (ludically and morally) the absolute precariousness of one's tribe in an inhospitable, cold and gloomy world. An inevitably niche title, but one that will appeal to lovers of the genre and dark fantasy.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Atlas Fallen is a very good title, with a really interesting and layered combat system, although it suffers from some side variables that invalidate the gaming experience. However, the real merit of the production, surprisingly, lies in the level design of the open maps, which manages to strongly mitigate (or eliminate?) the feeling of wandering around in an aseptic world full of uninspiring activities inserted just to make up the numbers.
Review in Italian | Read full review
In a way that was totally unimaginable until a few months ago, the historic Lee brothers' series re-enters the video game landscape with Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons. Although the levels recently achieved by competitors are still out of reach, the chapter developed by Secret Base Pte Ltd surprises with magnetic gameplay and ingenious introductions borrowed from the roguelite world. What emerges is a gangly and highly entertaining scrolling beat'em'up, even at the expense of some glaring issues (above all, the level design and the absence of an online mode). With that in mind, Gaiden will bring a smile (finally and after so many years) to fans of the saga and beyond.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Gimmick! Special Edition represents a small victory for fans of the NES era, who can finally get a feel for (and physically own) one of the great little titles lost to time and localizations. A painstakingly crafted platformer that is still enjoyable today, even in the face of a decidedly high difficulty that could deter many players. New content and countless QOL tweaks allow this version to be the best way to approach a title that is historic in its own way. Of course, those who do not appreciate such hardcore retrogaming may not enjoy the youkai adventure.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Expanse: A Telltale Series represents a new beginning for the California-based studio. Never before has the numerical rating accompanying the review been little more than a "decoration," especially considering the circumstances we explained at the beginning. However, the premises are more than decent, and if they are upheld, the new project could represent a new dawn for the studio.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Pikmin 4 encapsulates all the best of the Nintendo strategy series, a summa that represents its highest point ever. A masterpiece capable of vastly expanding all the mechanics dear to fans, putting an incredibly generous content offering on the plate. An over-the-top production (despite some minor flaws here and there), which makes even more special a year destined to remain impressed in gamers' memories for a long time. Let's just hope we don't have to wait another decade for the next chapter in this great saga. While waiting, hone the art of Dandori: you will need it!
Review in Italian | Read full review
Koa and the Five Pirates of Mara succeeds in its stated goals: to offer a relaxing platforming experience within the reach of all abilities, from toddlers to speedrun lovers. Despite this, it is good to be aware of the production's limitations: the level design is rather ordinary, the camera suffers from worrying lapses, and the overall difficulty is calibrated downward. With this full awareness of merits and limitations, Koa and Napopo's pirate adventure can be a nice pastime on hot summer days.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is undoubtedly a remaster we needed. Capcom has brought back a small cult classic from 13 years ago, doing an almost flawless job. The only "limitations" of this new version lie in the design peculiarities of the original release. A small gem, both then and now, that is absolutely worth playing.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Viewfinder is a damn original puzzle game. The basic idea is excellently developed, thanks mainly to the enormous variety of situations we will experience in the course of the adventure. Nevertheless, we would have preferred something ludically more ambitious, while recognizing the huge design implications closely related to the game concept itself.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE fully realizes what its creators, the same ingenious (and somewhat twisted) minds behind the Danganronpa saga, hoped for. In taking up that legacy, Yuma and Shinigami's adventure is a gripping detective story, full of charm and food for thought, aided by the eccentricity of some (several) of its ideas. The end result is a fascinating and peculiar blend that draws as much from Phoenix Wright as it does from Persona, while preserving a very specific identity even at the expense of some technical uncertainties and verbiage that is significant at times. A rare and shining example of exquisitely Japanese creativity and flair: probably not a product for everyone, but invaluable precisely because of its proud uniqueness.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Final Fantasy XVI is a game with some structural issues and a lack of situational variety, but with an excellent combat system, thoughtfully designed with balance and layering in mind. While it wouldn’t have taken much to resolve the initial issues, it is also true that the gameplay and narrative peaks of Final Fantasy XVI will set a new benchmark—not just for the genre, not just for the series, but for the industry as a whole. For this reason, we consider Final Fantasy XVI a masterpiece and are confident it will make history in our favorite medium, despite its flaws and its less "immediate" choices.
Review in Italian | Read full review
AEW: Fight Forever is a faithful tribute to the wrestling games at the turn of the 90s and 00s -- foremost among them WWF No Mercy -- and you can tell this from the gameplay -- clearly arcade -- going through (or rather navigating) the (old style) menus, all the way to the wrestlers, with their uncertain, angular and funny features. Unfortunately, more than two decades have passed since the various No Mercy, WWF SmackDown and the unforgettable SmackDown VS Raw and WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain and the world as well as wrestling has moved on and to have stubbornly wanted to bring a wrestling video game that basically goes to honor what came before makes AEW: Fight Forever an acerbic, soulless and damn low budget title, even if the asking price is that of the biggest AAAs on the market. The hope, considering that it will not have an annual release but rather will be updated on a cadenced basis, is that the product can improve. As it stands, it is difficult to recommend AEW: Fight Forever except to the most die-hard fans of All Elite Wrestling AEW.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Frictional Games achieves, with Amnesia: The Bunker, a true horror masterclass. In a recent landscape resuscitated by stupendous but perhaps all too classic horror video games, the Swedish team reminds everyone why they represent one of the benchmarks for the entire genre. Despite a rather restrained longevity and the abandonment of elaborate themes, the new Amnesia is an agonizing odyssey within the claustrophobic walls of a World War I bunker, constantly hunted by an invincible creature that forces us to improvise and adapt thanks to an incredibly interactive game world. It may even be too anxiety-provoking for some of the audience, but for everyone else: don't miss it.
Review in Italian | Read full review
F1 23 is an immersive and, to say the least, impressive solid racing experience that is well suited - thanks to the many content offerings - to any type of player, from the more “casual” to those seeking a challenging and rewarding driving experience. The story mode, Braking Point, returns (somewhat chiaroscuro) after a full two years, while the introduction of the new F1 World mode - Ultimate Team style - makes it clear how popular the sport has become by now, so much so that it receives the same care and attention as many other sports titles on the market.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Greyhill Incident from Refugium Games and Perpetual-Europe, is a Survival-Horror story-driven title with good potential that unfortunately ended up badly wasted. A vibrant, dark, anxiety-inducing setting (with frightening moments to say the least) is contrasted with problematic and poorly engaging (let alone fun) gameplay. An adventure game of this type, requires a mix of several elements, and unfortunately if gameplay and plot are missing at all, it means that something didn't go as it should. The user interface is also bad, uncomfortable and at times unusable. Considering the price, about 35 euros, and the duration, really so short that it feels more like a demo than a full game, if you really are a fan of the genre, we recommend buying it only when it gets a substantial price reduction; until then, forget it!
Review in Italian | Read full review
It happens a few times in the span of a video game life to come across a masterpiece capable of redefining, to some extent, an entire genre. Street Fighter 6 is one of these rare and fleeting occasions. With the new chapter in the historic saga, Capcom not only certifies once again that it has regained the polish of its best years, but also makes a fighting game destined to become a striking yardstick for the entire genre. A monumental production, as gargantuan in its single player offering as it is in its online proposition, it succeeds in triumphing in also being an incredible example of didactics, layering and depth. With a learning curve that has never been so clear and expository, capable of both pandering to veterans and training novices to ferry them toward improvement, the return of Ryu & co. is simply the best fighting game around.
Review in Italian | Read full review