4News.it's Reviews
Foretales is a bold product. However, sometimes boldness and passion are not enough to make a project completely shine. The fusion of graphic adventure and card game is fascinating and layered, thanks in part to an inspired Disney-esque art direction. But it is precisely this mixture that hides the production's congenital flaws, leading it down the impassable road of repetitiveness and trial & error. With the right awareness, give it a chance: it might surprise you.
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F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is proof that intelligent and passionate development can give the market (and us consumers) real gems. The guys at TiGames have taken the typical structure of the metroidvania genre in its purest essence and added a very deep and technical combat system that manages to make every encounter a pleasure to play. The result is excellent, there's no denying it.
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Prodeus gives honor and glory to the classic FPSs from which it is inspired: in doing so, it becomes a must-play shooter itself. Bounding Box crowns a long development journey with an exhilarating title that manages to mix the tradition of the most frenetic shooter with the modernity of an infrastructure open to sharing new community content. Harness your shotgun, there's some demonic heads to be blown off.
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NBA 2K23 is not much different from last year's offering, but it manages to take a definite step forward; the problem of microtransactions remains; in fact, in the long run (and specifically with reference to the MY CAREER mode) the player will find himself almost forced to play a disproportionate amount or spend money to continue competing online, but on the other hand, there are a number of juicy modes - that we are sure you will appreciate - such as the Jordan Challenges or MyNBA Eras that allow you to relive the exploits and most iconic moments of the best player of all time and several incredible legends of American basketball.
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Return to Monkey Island brings the legendary graphic adventure series back to life with a full house. Ron Gilbert and his team return to Monkey Island bringing with them a treasure trove of experience and lore, telling an exhilarating yet sweetly melancholy story. A new masterpiece for the genre, it stands as a candidate for one of the best games of this absurd 2022. If you don't believe it well. Look, there's a three-headed monkey behind you!
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The Spirit and the Mouse is the heartwarming fairy tale that you don't know you want to hear until you hear it. Development team Alblune makes a calm and serene adventure as a brave little mouse, in which exploration is a tool to convey a message of altruism and solidarity. Although the end credits come a bit early, the advice is to take a break from the modern hustle and bustle and take refuge in the serenity offered by The Spirit and the Mouse. Something that perhaps we all need, especially these days.
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FIFA 23 is the culmination of a journey that only slightly improves a formula that, while functional, has been stale for too long. Still, it remains a recommended title for all virtual soccer fans, in the hope that next year, thanks to the announced re-branding, there may finally be a bursting revolution just as there was a full 14 years ago with the 2008 edition.
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It's been too long since the last officially licensed F1 management sim, we're talking almost two decades; Frontier Developments' F1 Manager 2022 brings players back to feeling part of an F1 team and does so in an incredibly clever and immersive way. It's not just about statistics, data and charts but thanks to the superb graphics engine, cars and tracks literally come to life offering an incredible gaming experience capturing the spirit of Formula 1. If you are a fan of motorsport and management games, you absolutely cannot miss F1 Manager 2022.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space improves on the previous chapter in every respect and, thanks to Skunkape Games' excellent remastered work, becomes the best way to enjoy Steve Purcell's freelance police force. The writing is still phenomenal and relevant today, while the play offering continues to be generous and varied. Although it can be enjoyed by any graphic adventure fan, our advice is to play Save the World first anyway in order to enjoy every reference to the crazy Sam & Max universe.
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Skunkape Games signs off on a near-perfect remastered of the first season of Telltale Games' freelance police adventures. Sam & Max Save the World is a title full of fun, interesting puzzles and memorable characters, graced by writing that is still extremely good and disturbingly relevant today. Put your faith in Steve Purcell's characters: you might just discover (or rediscover) a new love.
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Tunic is the fruit of a powerful love for a video game season of the past. After nearly seven years of development work, Andrew Shouldice packs a product in which homages to series such as The Legend of Zelda and the introduction of mechanics taken from the far more modern soulslike series are expertly mixed. In doing so he is able, as if by magic, to move back the hands of time. Tunic succeeds in conveying the same pleasure of discovery experienced by gamers at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, the authentic wonder of which you will return to. A product not to be missed.
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Soulstice is an excellent exponent of the action genre that comes to the market at the right time. It may be the perfect “entry point” for newcomers to the genre and at the same time, despite the paradox highlighted in the review, a title that will be enjoyed immensely even by those more accustomed to this type of game.
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Inscryption is a demonstration of the inherent power of the video game media. Daniel Mullins reveals himself to be a rising star of game design, infusing his creature with an incredible combination of winning ideas. Solid and varied deckbuilding is mixed with roguelike mechanics and the sinister escape-room mechanism, against the backdrop of a disruptive and unpredictable narrative. A masterpiece that certifies, once again, the flair of Devolver Digital.
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Pac-Man World Re-PAC not only graphically debunks a title with more than 20 years on its shoulders, but also removes all the archaic features associated with the era of its original release, giving us a much more modern, current, and generally enjoyable product. For these reasons, Pac-Man World Re-PAC is a title that we feel strongly recommend to everyone, both to the 30-somethings who have already played it at the time of its original release, and to newcomers who will thus be able to discover a small cult of the golden age of platformers in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Metal: Hellsinger is a title that really surprised us. Sure, it might not be one of the most innovative in the genre, but the rhythmic mechanic definitely brings a breath of fresh air to the FPS genre. Mastering the gameplay created by The Outsiders isn’t exactly easy (especially staying on beat), but once you’ve got the hang of it, the fun is guaranteed. Unfortunately, although the combat system is fully convincing, there isn’t much else outside of combat; the level progression is quite simple and linear, and it doesn’t reward players for exploration or secret hunting, which is another aspect we liked in DOOM games. We also believe that replayability might not be very high, except for those players obsessed with grinding for higher scores. That said, the price of just €39.99 — along with its launch on Microsoft’s Game Pass service — could be a key factor in Metal: Hellsinger’s success.
Review in Italian | Read full review
BPM: Bullets per Minute arrives on Nintendo Switch two years after its original release and does so bringing the same load of action and adrenaline. Declining every action with the beat of rock music is an addictive and magnetic experience that reaffirms Awe Interactive's winning idea. Unfortunately, the Switch conversion makes technical compromises to preserve the same play experience. This, combined with a severe difficulty curve, make it a product suitable mainly for fans.
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Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed is a quintessential “nostalgia operation.” Black Forest Games repurposes the cult title from 16 years ago by polishing the graphical aspect but keeping the gameplay and the politically incorrect sense of humor intact. The years that have passed weigh on the play formula, without, however, detracting from the nonsensical fun that the production continues to be able to deliver... as long as you indulge in its lightness, letting yourself be lulled by a sweet melancholy.
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The Company Man mixes satire with the most classic of action platformers. Forust looks with almost Dante-like allegory at the reality of large corporate offices and their working conditions, bringing to market a narratively interesting and layered title. Unfortunately, overly conservative choices on the game design side prevent the title from aiming for prestigious positions. But salaryman Jim doesn't know this and does it anyway.
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Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus? is a title that is too particular to appeal to everyone. We bet that even fans of this genre might frown upon it due to the structural foundations that allow the game to function, based on a "flawed" design that hinders the narrative flow, artificially forcing it. If you're looking to spend a different afternoon, especially considering the low price, you might give it a try, but remember that the design structure on which the entire experience rests could compromise the narrative progression, leading to unpleasant redundancies.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Last of Us Part I is a remake of a masterpiece and he himself is no less. Sony's questionable stances regarding the economic and communication choices of this remake are not to be ignored, but net of that there is little to fault the title in terms of quantity and ludic quality.
Review in Italian | Read full review