4News.it's Reviews
Unknown 9: Awakening is a title that came too late to the market. While it’s true that the narrative aspect works, it’s also evident that, gameplay-wise, it’s a title that is barely adequate and often "unbearable," especially in today’s context. Accepting its outdated structure, marked by a fundamental repetitiveness, it’s hard to recommend a product with such a low level of polish, both technically and in gameplay mechanics.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a rather immersive and adrenaline-pumping experience, and although it is not a masterpiece of the horror genre, it is still very interesting, which is hard to find nowadays even in decidedly higher-budget productions. Some elements we didn't like so much, such as the narrowness of some areas that gave us more than a few headaches to get through or the bugs and glitches that - unfortunately - we ran into on more than one occasion. But apart from that, we feel like recommending it to anyone who is looking for a post-apocalyptic horror adventure, with a fair length (about six hours), a balanced level of challenge - net of the aforementioned issues - and a low price (€29.99).
Review in Italian | Read full review
Europa is a little dream come true for Helder Pinto and Novadust Entertainment. The android Zee's adventure on a lush terraformed moon is a gentle, bittersweet tale that echoes inspirations and suggestions from the imagery of Studio Ghibli. The end result is a fleeting experience that sweetly entertains through its calm rhythms and meditative atmosphere. Precisely its most distinctive features, however, make it a title not for everyone, especially those who demand more structured gameplay, a more punctual control system, and less automatism in the pacing. With the right premises, the production published by Future Friends Games will know how to leave something in you.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports is yet another officially licensed title that fails to tap the potential of a brand with enormous potential. The idea of offering a package with as many as four sports is nice, but the execution leaves something to be desired. While golf and tennis are definitely fun to play, basketball (with reservations) and soccer, the latter of which really needs to be revised, do not convince. Consider also that power-ups don't appear as often as one would expect (and aren't always easily activated), that characters-though they have distinctive traits-cannot access other upgrades, that the AI is incredibly strong and perfect, a few minor technical smears (such as excessive loading) and the omelet is served. If you have friends to play with, you will certainly find some enjoyment, but if you play alone, just leave it alone. With a license as strong as the Looney Tunes license, we were hoping for something more and in the end - once again - we were faced with yet another disappointment and only a sufficient title!
Review in Italian | Read full review
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO is the best video game adaptation of Master Toriyama's work. It's a love letter created by fans and for fans, a tribute to one of the greatest franchises of all time, arriving on the market at the perfect moment. An impressive audio-visual component and a renewed depth in gameplay make Sparking! ZERO a title truly recommended for all lovers of Goku and his friends. It’s a video game that feels like a rebirth, where nostalgia and the past intertwine with the future, giving us strong emotions, even beyond gaming experience. Put on your gi, it’s time to fight like true Saiyans!
Review in Italian | Read full review
Neva is a new centerpiece for Nomada Studio (and for the never-too-praised “observers” at Devolver Digital). The Spanish studio's new title manages to push itself “beyond”, adding a layer of playful complexity that is satisfying and consistent with the narrative and audio-visual presentation of the title, the flagships of the production. A truly recommended game for everyone, appreciable on, precisely, “different” levels. Neva is a proud exponent of the harmony between art and video game.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Nikoderiko: The Magical World stands to be one of the most unexpected entries in the “Surprises of 2024” category. Cypriot studio VEA Games signs off its debut on the video game scene with a splendid platformer that has nothing to envy vis-à-vis the top of the class. The celebratory intent towards great sagas of the genre is evident, as is, for the record, the essentially derivative nature of the work. However, the average quality is so high, the pace so sparkling and the challenge so well calibrated that it is impossible not to be thunderstruck by the end result. Do not let it pass you by for any reason.
Review in Italian | Read full review
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game turned out to be exactly what we were waiting for. A colorful reinterpretation of Goat Simulator, a sandbox adventure with no real purpose other than to sow chaos and revel in witty activities. Compared to its source of inspiration, PHL Collective's work brakes on the side of insanity and leans toward a very young audience. A hoot, however, that proves to be within everyone's reach, provided one accepts the modesty of the aspirations as well as the restrained nature of the experience. If you have always dreamed of driving the chaotic Patrick through the streets of Bikini Bottom, this is your chance!
Review in Italian | Read full review
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best version with which to enjoy the initial chapter in the Capcom horror series. New graphics, revamped controls and quality-of-life improvements serve an excellent remastering that preserves the best play features of the 2005 title. In this sense, some might criticize, now as then, some choices related to the inexorable timer that punctuates objectives and sanctions fates. Likewise, the reintroduction of the sandbox structure without novelty might weigh especially heavily on those who had viewed the missteps of the last chapters with discontent. If you love Dawn of the Dead, don't disdain a crazy streak and perhaps didn't play it nearly two decades ago, the return to the Willamette Parkview Mall might be an experience not to be missed.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Although it has been almost a decade since Until Dawn first arrived on PlayStation 4 consoles, its teen slasher narrative plot, superb voice actor performances, and nonlinear narrative as well as the setting, are incredibly relevant and captivating, proving without a shadow of a doubt-although the four chapters in The Dark Pictures Anthology and The Quarry were still good games-that the high point for Supermassive Games is and will remain, at least until the release of Little Nightmares III (in which we have great confidence), precisely Until Dawn. A classic with vastly improved graphics and minor gameplay tweaks that offers an even more polished experience. The problem is that this edition costs a whopping €69.99 and mysteriously does not reach the 60 fps achievable by means of backward compatibility of the PS4 version on PS5. In short, although it is one of the best horror titles ever released in video game form, we struggle to recommend it. The quality is there but the price - in our opinion - is really too high for what it offers.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire left us with a bit of a sour taste in our mouths, we must admit. On the one hand, the desire to pay homage to the great RPG classics is palpable, with homages and inspirations that fans of the genre will appreciate accompanying a product with several intriguing ideas. On the other hand, however, the claudicant technical realization, pacing problems and a combat system that lends its side (or rather, its sash) to too much criticism make the experience overly nerve-wracking at times. A product that probably needed a little extra time to be improved and that unfortunately, in its current state, can only be recommended to the hard core of nostalgics and fans... also accomplice to the tremendous direct competition in October.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Remaking Silent Hill 2 seemed like a thankless and impossible task, and we imagine it was by no means easy, but Bloober Team pulled it off by modernizing a classic of the genre without distorting, rather making it shine in its own light, what made it so special and beloved by fans. The combat - if a tad "heavy" and not always immediate - works great, the already excellent narrative plot has been expanded and is even more harrowing and emotional, the environmental puzzles are rewarding and never become redundant or frustrating, all underpinned by a horrifying, claustrophobic, terrifying and incredibly immersive atmosphere, further enhanced by phenomenal voice acting and stunningly realistic visuals. You will be frightened and have goosebumps, we guarantee, but you will want more and more (although the backtracking is sometimes a bit frustrating and tedious) until you reach the end credits of this disturbing and profound psychological masterpiece, without a shadow of a doubt, among the best of the last decade. Thank you Bloober Team for bringing this 2001 classic back among us!
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Plucky Squire represents a great little success for All Possible Futures, achieving exactly what was hoped for. It is a unique and fresh experience, within everyone's reach, filled with joy and inspiration. Perhaps because of this, some may be disappointed by the actual playful scope of the project, much more to the parts of a simple action adventure with puzzles than a wide-ranging odyssey with complex mechanics. For all those, however, who will embrace its originality by welcoming its merits and flaws, the experience may prove to be among the most special of the generation. Devolver Digital once again confirms itself as the queen among the scouts of the indie world.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Khaos Reigns is a purchase that we can hardly recommend with our eyes closed without taking into account the target audience. In fact, if you are among the casual players of the title, you may ill digest the brevity of the new story and may not be particularly interested in getting your hands on only a portion of the new kombatants right away. If, on the other hand, Mortal Kombat 1 is your guilty pleasure and you can't resist the prospect of new content, the expansion is a must-have due to very interesting additions to the roster. Either way, there is the cost of the ticket not to be underestimated, in line with the (controversial) pricing policy for this chapter of the series and not exactly cheap. In short: if you approach Khaos Reigns expecting a worthy expansion with a meaty story chapter, you will be disappointed. If, on the other hand, you consider it a kind of “enhanced season pass” with access to six characters (three now, three in the future) and a few hours of entertainment with a new epilogue, you will be pleasantly pleased.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Priced at €21.69, Jackbox Naughty Pack might be a good option for those looking for a daring, off-the-wall party game. The Fakin' It and Dirty Drawful modes work and entertain while Let Me Finish simply struck us as odd, confusing, childish, and entirely avoidable. It is a pity that only three games are available in this pack and among other things one of them is also quite ugly, but fans of board games will surely have something to enjoy in Jackbox Naughty Pack as well.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged brings back a classic of point-and-click graphic adventures, giving it its best look yet. This product can be appreciated both by nostalgic players, although it ultimately doesn't aim to offer them anything truly new, and even more by younger gamers looking to approach a classic from a genre that has nearly fallen out of use.
Review in Italian | Read full review
EA Sports FC 25 is, in our opinion, a good exponent of the 30-year-old soccer series with the proper adjustments and new modes. We suspect that EA Sports should move to a less frequent release schedule, even every two years, with seasonal updates in between. Still, Rush mode is an excellent addition and, considering its extensive implementation in the game and specifically in FUT Ultimate Team mode, unlike Volta, bodes well for the future. That said, if you were expecting a radical change, you will be disappointed. The visuals are the same (it is only possible to choose between two different modes), the menus are the same (and they are full of bugs, glitches and sudden freezes) and the gameplay is largely the same, despite painstaking tweaks and refinements that have reduced some mechanics that were overused last year (while introducing others such as too-frequent replays that lead to real pinball). But that's part of being an annual buyer of FC or FIFA, and until EA Sports has a real contender in the market for soccer simulators or similar, don't expect incredible changes or an excellent experience.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Holy Gosh Darn is yet another confirmation of the talent of Norwegian studio Perfectly Paranormal. A graphic adventure somewhere between platformer and puzzle game that is deeply inspired by time loop comedies, graced by an impeccable script, extraordinary voice acting and irresistible comedy. It may not be in everyone's cup of tea, complicit with some sensitive and delicate themes at times. And undoubtedly there are other exponents of the genre that are more down-to-earth from a playful point of view. But Cassiel's odyssey deserves to be experienced, in your armchair at home -- with the rewind ready.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Iron Meat is a tribute to the genre it draws inspiration from and to the cornerstones of run-and-gun games. The greatest strength of the production is its dual appeal. It manages to cater to both seasoned gamers who experienced those years and to newcomers drawn to this "chaotic" genre (or simply, to its successful retro pixel art aesthetic). It's a pity that in just a couple of afternoons, you’ll have seen everything, regardless of your skill with the controller.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Pneumata looked promising in terms of both setting and gameplay. We understand that it was made by a single developer (who certainly made a remarkable and impressive effort to say the least) but unfortunately, serious gameplay shortcomings, especially in terms of the woodenness of several mechanics, the total absence of a map and directions, several technical problems, and sections that were a tad too cramped, led us to a tedious and decidedly forgettable experience.
Review in Italian | Read full review