4News.it's Reviews
Toodee And Topdee is a title that is perhaps a bit presumptuous because it decides to “step on the gas” not realizing that it has given the gamer a Fiat Panda. But beyond that, it remains a brilliant mix of 2D platformer and top-down puzzler graced with impressive playful variety. And for that we recommend it.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Stray Blade is a more than decent third-person action-adventure, blessed with a level design and exploration-reward loop that is very satisfying. The combat, despite the developers' efforts to diversify encounter setups with a wide variety of weapons, could eventually become monotonous. However, despite these flaws, Stray Blade remains one of the most interesting AA productions we've had the pleasure of exploring in recent years.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Bloober Team reworks its debut title in the psychological horror landscape with a new awareness. Layers of Fear does not simply re-present, in a modern technical guise, the original title, but rather the entire series (and related DLC) in a new narrative context, for a project somewhere between remaster and remake. A package therefore capable of giving suggestions and thrills, while preserving the extremely reduced gameplay of the original versions. This is precisely the key that could lead you to appreciate (or not) the production: if you love psychological thrills, the project will know how to win you over. If, conversely, you appreciate something more concrete and palpable (both ludically and narratively), the title may miss the mark.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Afterimage is one of the most surprising titles of the first half of 2023. We unexpectedly found ourselves facing a 2D action-adventure game with a metroidvania structure and some soulslike elements, content-wise massive, developed with care and intelligence. Derivative and perhaps lacking the personality that elevated titles like Hollow Knight to the Olympus, but when holding the controller, it’s so satisfying, thanks to the successful mix of combat and exploration, that we truly consider it a game we’d recommend to everyone.
Review in Italian | Read full review
HUMANITY is a serious candidate among the best independent surprises of the year. The Japanese development team, with an abstract and minimalist Pindaric flight, puts players in the shoes of a daredevil Shiba Inu grappling with saving humanity. It does so by offering a modern version of the classic Lemmings full of inventiveness, variety and daring. The very audacity may make the title unappealing to the general public, who may feel alienated by some of the game design choices as well as by the overall presentation. With these due considerations, HUMANITY remains a little gem in the world of puzzle games.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Nightdive Studios has done a really good job of recreating most of the elements of the iconic System Shock with modern standards, especially the game's user interface -- made more streamlined and appealing -- and the graphical rendering. Although the artificial intelligence does not convince - the combat system entertains just the same - and will push you to test new ways to deal with the varied threats of the space station “The Citadel.” Whether or not you have experienced the experience created by LookingGlass Technologies we guarantee that the remake is absolutely worth playing!
Review in Italian | Read full review
Super Mega Baseball 4 confirms, once again, the quality of the Electronic Arts sports series. Somewhere between the lightness of arcade gameplay and the depth of refined game dynamics, Metalhead Software's baseball wins and convinces. With a generous play offering and addictive modes, the title is a good choice for both fans of the genre and those who want to approach a virtual version of the sport. Especially for the latter, do not fear in the face of initial embarrassments: the rhythm of the diamond may win you over.
Review in Italian | Read full review
After Us, therefore, is a product that is presented as an emotional and sensory experience rather than a video game. An experience emphasized by the stupendous and original art direction that is functional to the purpose and selling point of the product. And on this the developers have undoubtedly hit the mark. However, if the strictly play aspect had received the same amount of attention and care by now we would be talking about a little gem. After Us like this is just a good game, one that we still recommend to everyone for the underlying message it wants to communicate.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Killer Frequency turned out to be a far more interesting product than anticipated. Fascinated initially by the concept but doubtful about the inherent limitations of the chosen formula, the Team17 title nevertheless enraptured us and dragged us in front of the microphones of a mid-west American radio station inside an 80s story somewhere between comedy and horror. Between one homage to a cinematic masterpiece and another, the adventure flows quickly between interesting puzzles and a constant invitation to use your gray matter to save as many lives as possible. It's a title destined to become a small cult hit, as long as you don't expect to wield a weapon and confront the serial killer face-to-face. It wounds more with a pen than a sword, after all.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Much like all modern LEGO-branded video games, whether you are a fan of the brand or not, the fun is nothing short of guaranteed. With LEGO 2K Drive, Visual Concepts has done an incredible job of offering a product that is practically suitable for everyone, starting with the youngest gamers all the way up to the older ones.The racing/arcade title offers a lot of fun, between wild races, side quests, mini-games, creativity and an endless amount of merriment (up in the air, to say the least). The open world is very well done, the story mode is as lighthearted as it needs to be (as are its characters), the driving system is a lot of fun and easy to get to grips with, and the vehicle mechanics that automatically switch from being a race car to becoming an off-roader or even a boat are spot on. This is all supported by an impressive build/edit mode that allows you to create your own vehicles. Unfortunately, the microtransactions are hard to ignore, and although they are not as invasive as other past 2K titles, they still leave us with a bitter taste in our mouths for a product that could have done without them (especially since it is aimed at a very young audience).
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Curse of the Sea Rats marks an important maturation step for the Catalan development team. Drawing from the world of metroidvanias, the title offers a solid and entertaining adventure with a good amount of content, graced by a character design that pays homage to the world of late 1980s animation. Despite its excellent qualities, the production slips into excessive traditionalism without managing to provide that extra something that makes the difference between a good and an excellent result. Even intriguing choices such as multiple characters and the possibility of co-op adventure are not fully exploited. Nevertheless, the title remains a viable alternative within the reference genre, which we hope is only the beginning of a new path for Petoons Studio.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum has been a really difficult title to evaluate. Without a doubt, it’s a very varied game, but its obvious flaws and its "language", as little immediate as it is fascinating, a legacy of a bygone era (which we loved), make it hard to recommend universally. As we’ve said before, more than on other occasions, ignore the number you'll find here next to it. If you want to take a trip down memory lane, get it, even at the first price cut. If, however, you think this kind of design is outdated, feel free to move on—fortunately, the video game market has never been so full of offerings for all tastes.
Review in Italian | Read full review
More than thirty-five years after its debut, Puzzle Bobble still represents one of the best puzzle games in the gaming landscape. Everybubble! is no exception, presenting itself as a colorful and fun chapter in keeping with tradition. After VR experimentation, the series returns to the classic while nevertheless winking at even the most savvy gamers (with EX Stages) and offering pleasant play alternatives (the crossover mode with Space Invaders). An excellent addition to the series, which we hope will continue to follow the intent of improving and enriching the ludic offering in the next chapters as well.
Review in Italian | Read full review
XEL is a highly discouraged title. We are faced with a product that, under "normal" conditions, could have achieved a barely passing grade, and nothing more. In its current state, however, it is a testament to the developers' lack of respect for their audience. It is unacceptable that, in 2023, video games are being released in this condition. We regretfully acknowledge this, but we could not do otherwise.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Zool Redimensioned is an honest and respectful “nostalgia operation” of the original work. The team at Sumo Digital Academy pays homage to an Amiga-era masterpiece with a work capable of speaking to fans of the original. Not only that, Redimensioned also manages to appeal to today's audiences, allowing them to experience a classic with a modern twist. It is not, however, a title for everyone. The game system is, for obvious reasons, rather outdated, and the difficulty fluctuates quite noticeably between the permissive ease of the updates and the luciferous strictures of the original formula. Despite this, the ticket price is far too tempting not to give the old ninja from “yet another dimension” a chance.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Tin Hearts is why independent productions should never be underestimated or, worse, judged by their cover. What, at first glance, might seem to be a modest title dedicated to young children, instead hides a clever and rewarding puzzle game, inexhaustible in its ideas and desire to surprise. As if that were not enough, Rogue Sun also gives us an emotional story, capable of dealing with profound themes and movingly touching chords in the soul. Despite an acerbic technical aspect and a revisable control system, Tin Hearts is an experience that every player should have on his or her skin.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will have more than a few technical issues, we reiterate, but we still consider it one of the best action-adventures of recent years. The high numerical rating you find accompanying the review was assigned taking these issues into account, to highlight how successful the game still is. To conclude, the best thing we can say about Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is that, in terms of "scale," we think it is one of the few "next-gen" titles on the market. It’s a theme park with countless attractions and set-pieces, vast both qualitatively and quantitatively, which made us realize that finally, someone has started to make use of these new consoles, despite all the "bottlenecks" (both figurative and literal) we've had to go through.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Death or Treat reminded us that, sadly, a little luck is often needed in life. If it is already difficult for an up-and-coming studio to carve out a place in the sun with its debut title, it all becomes tremendously more difficult if fate pulls a trick by putting a frighteningly similar title not far behind. Saona Studios builds a competent and entertaining 2D action roguelite, focusing on an aesthetic that winks at Nightmare Before Christmas and an allegory aimed at the world of social (and beyond). What is lacking, however, is a bit of freshness in the play system, which relies excessively on resource farming and old-school hack'n'slash, net of a control system that is not always brilliant. All in all, an enjoyable production, although it cannot rival other exponents of the genre.
Review in Italian | Read full review
With Strayed Lights, the developers of Embers make their debut on the video game scene with a production full of personality and interesting ideas. Inspired art direction and intriguing gameplay constitute obvious points of merit, as bold as they are ambitious, such that allow the title to stand out from the competition. Unfortunately, however, the price to pay is significant: an almost linear level design, a bland narrative compartment and a sense of progression that is rarely incisive. Son flaws that prevent the production from ascending to greater heights, but do not affect its enjoyability.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Bramble: The Mountain King is a ludically anachronistic adventure that nevertheless manages to stand out thanks to the amazing atmosphere that permeates the production, inspired by an impeccable interpretation of the folklore of the Nordic lands. Dark, distressing, disturbing, but also gentle for those with the sensitivity to observe and perceive certain nuances, Olle and Lillemor's fairy tale deserves a chance from all gamers.
Review in Italian | Read full review