4News.it's Reviews
Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is an operation that succeeds in bringing two legendary games back to modern platforms with a modernized twist, without affecting their essence. The story is still engaging, the gameplay retains its charm, and small improvements make the experience more accessible to those new to the series.
Review in Italian | Read full review
PGA Tour 2K25 is a solid title that improves several aspects of its predecessor but does not revolutionize the experience. The new swing system, improved physics, and extensive content offerings make it a great simulator for fans, but some technical flaws and the handling of microtransactions may turn the nose up at those looking for a more refined experience.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sid Meier's Civilization VII represents a chapter destined to mark a new era for the legendary strategy franchise. Ambitious is the will on the part of Firaxis Games to aim toward a revolution such as to simultaneously please fans of the saga and new audiences. Not as impeccable, however, is its implementation, with some choices that risk creating disappointment and discontent especially with the most loyal users. The seventh installment of the 4X king is once again excellent, full of brilliant and intriguing insights. Beware, however: some new features may not be very welcome.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Turbo Overkill is a frenetic and unscrupulous FPS, at times exhilarating in pace and variety. It is precisely its excesses, however, that may make it less appealing than expected to more purist shooter fans. Indeed, the relentless pursuit of exaggerated escalation of violence ends up leaving some aspects by the wayside that make the title less compact than hoped for, especially in the context of the home console adaptation. And so, the control system ends up showing the side of some excessive nervousness and some features are inexplicably absent. Regardless, it remains a must try for fans of the genre and a commendable debut for Trigger Happy Interactive.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered turns out to be a “curious” but nonetheless interesting operation that celebrates the legendary figure of Lara Croft and tries to make the most controversial period of her saga usable to a new generation of gamers. Although the remastering is top-notch and succeeds in making these video games more accessible and visually pleasing without altering too much of their original spirit, the heart of the problem remains the same: The Last Revelation, Chronicles and The Angel of Darkness failed to do justice to Lara 20 years ago and certainly will not succeed now.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Avowed represents quintessential game design according to Obsidian Entertainment. While not offering a radically new experience, the return to the world of Eora is an exciting action RPG, graced by the traditional care the development team put into the script. Free to be able to create one's alter ego among a thousand opportunities for customization and to direct it indiscriminately toward the paths of good or evil, Avowed puts players within a setting that is the antithesis of the dispersive risk of an endless open world, with gameplay devoted to action and fun. It may not be a revolution, and technically some hiccups are there, but for all fans of the genre it is a must.
Review in Italian | Read full review
NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black marks the unexpected return of Ryu Hayabusa, when he now seemed to be confined only to the memories of a few video game generations ago. Instead, here he appears out of nowhere as a warrior who makes shadows his calling, with Team Ninja remastering him for us in Unreal Engine 5. Gallant and entertaining perhaps more so today than in its time, abetted by a landscape that has seen the rarification of pure action, we are faced with a perceptible step forward from Sigma 2. At the same time, however, the features that made the chapter released for the Xbox 360 unforgettable have not been reproduced, effectively materializing a missed opportunity to make the true definitive edition of the title. NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black remains, in any case, a glorious return for the franchise as we look forward to welcoming the fourth chapter at the end of the year.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Is a product inspired by niche classics itself intended to appeal to a small audience? This is an inevitable rhetorical question that Moons of Darsalon does not shy away from. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. After a long development path, the strategic adventure from Dr. Kucho! Games also arrives on consoles repurposing all the gaming charm of forty years ago (argh), enhanced by modern technologies. It won't be an experience for everyone, that's for sure. But for those who grew up on Lemmings, this could be a very tasty trip down memory lane.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, is a true wonder. Between realism and historical accuracy, without disdaining lightheartedness and irreverence, you will immerse yourself in an incredible open-world RPG that is alive and engaging (just as if you were there, right in the Middle Ages), more refined than the 2018 original, with a modified combat system that is decidedly more intuitive and functional, deep and diverse systems that provide even more incentive to seek out a certain style of play, truly jaw-dropping scenarios, and (almost) no bugs or glitches during quests (which in such a vast product is no small feat). However, it still features a slow and compassed pace (especially in the first 7 to 8 hours of play) and - in certain situations - tediously realistic and heavy-handed (on the other hand, this was exactly what attracted millions of players to try their hand at the first chapter and we are sure will attract as many in this sequel). A heaviness that you will later understand and intend in the good sense that will make you feel what you have to do and how you have to do it, just as it was done in the Middle Ages, making you experience an epic adventure. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a unique game that-although it may not be appealing to many-will delight die-hard fans of open world RPGs.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Big Helmet Heroes is a scrolling beat'em'up that makes the ironic representation of chivalric imagery its strong point. But above all, beyond the production's evidently humorous figure, Exalted Studio makes a genuinely entertaining title, capable of making people smile thanks to its likeable protagonists grappling with sizzling hand-to-hand combat. Certainly, this is not the title of the month and it is not within its ambitions to be so. Nevertheless, it does not detract from the fact that if you want to spend a few hours in merriment, perhaps with a friend on the same couch, this is a title to keep in due consideration.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist is the perfect sequel. It solves all the critical issues of its predecessor and perfects even more of the franchise's distinctive element: the handling of Homunculus. However, in the name of accessibility, some of the magic that made Ender Lilies so charming has been lost. But that's perfectly fine.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Dynasty Warriors: Origins succeeds in an almost impossible mission: unhinging the most entrenched beliefs and paradigms related to the musou genre, while not disavowing its fundamental and defining characteristics. Omega Force's signature relaunch of the saga combines the best of the saga with modern insights that finally make the experience more varied, fresh and tantalizing. Some sacrifices and compromises might turn the noses of fans of the series, however, while those who have never experienced the appeal of such a unique genre will not necessarily be charmed by the novelties. In any case, Origins represents the highest point reached by the saga as well as a new beginning that could bring enormous satisfaction even to those who have never approached the battles of the Three Kingdoms.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sniper Elite: Resistance, despite the familiar mold and a game model that in several respects seems far too derivative from its predecessors, nevertheless has a unique soul that hides little surprises and that are sought after by a great many players who love the genre: The improved AI that can really challenge the player this time, optional objectives (real objectives and not just secondary ones), alternate routes that allow you to reach the objective marked on the map in a different way, a variety of firearms (customizable and upgradable). Add to this the numerous online modes, including the much-loved “Axis Invasion” (which we found a bit unbalanced) and the cooperative player option -- net of more than a few missteps in terms of graphics (a sharp change of course is urgently needed) -- and you have on your hands a good package that will allow you to experience for the first time an exciting new sniper campaign as Harry Hawker.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Eternal Strands marks a welcome return to the video game scene for Mike Laidlaw. An action RPG that draws from the best game design lessons of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Shadow of the Colossus to create a multi-layered interactive adventure that is as galvanizing in its premise as it is satisfying in its execution. Unfortunately, this is not a flawless project, starting with an overly derivative art direction through repetitive quest design and a combat system that is acerbic in its fundamentals. In any case, it is impossible not to greet with applause the ambitious project of Yellow Brick Games, which has the incontrovertible and indisputable merit of wanting to dare something more than the majority of productions in the same genre. And this is no small feat, far from it.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Tales of Graces f Remastered represents the best opportunity to rediscover one of the most underrated chapters in the historic Bandai Namco series. Beyond a technical aspect only marginally pulled together, the comprehensiveness of the content and a rich set of quality-of-life improvements enhance an aged combat system with elegance and harmony. Story and characters continue to be as controversial elements of the work today as they were fifteen years ago, yet highlighting how at the time perhaps the judgment was far too austere in this regard. If you want to recover a little gem of the genre (and if you especially want to appreciate its indiscernible historical importance), now is the time.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, is a solid remastering of an already fantastic game. The solid graphics (though not without a few smudges) and the smooth, responsive gameplay (aided by the input relied on classic buttons), really offer the feeling of having a modern game on our hands and not released nearly fifteen years ago. We played the Wii version when it was launched and the 3DS version; however, we still loved every second spent in the company of this Switch version, and we are sure that - net of a price that is a bit too high (we are talking about €59.99) - it will be appreciated both by those who have already dealt with the original (especially if it has been a while) and by new players. Hopefully, this also stands to mean that in the - not too distant - future we will have more Donkey Kong Country games on the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Upon our testing, Enotria: The Last Song proved to be a competent, artistically inspired soulslike with a pleasant rate of challenge. Contrary to an edgy reception given to the Italian project in the past few months, the Jyamma Games title entertained and engaged us, also aided by a fine level design and a fun combat system. Not everything works as it should, let's be clear. The technical compartment even on Xbox Series X shows the side of some graphical bugs, some framerate uncertainties and sporadic glitches. The RPG elements and customizations are sometimes far too excessive, resulting in an overabundance of options. All this aside, however, the adventure of the Maskless One deserves to be enjoyed not only by fans of the genre, but also by all those who want to immerse themselves in the folklore of our home.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered is a dream come true, for all fans of the historic dark fantasy franchise. A modernization project that pays homage to two legendary titles that contributed, in their own way, to the development of the media in new directions. The work of Aspyr and Crystal Dynamics is commendable in preserving the charm and appeal of the original products, although some of the ludic elements may appear, to the contemporary gamer, unpolished. A remastering to be jealously guarded: the story of Nosgoth deserves to be shared, today as well as over two decades ago.
Review in Italian | Read full review
FANTASIAN Neo Dimension attests to the liberation of the legendary Hironobu Sakaguchi's latest work from the shackles of its exclusivity for mobile devices. The Mistwalker production is an exciting homage to a classic vision of JRPGs by one of its absolute masters. However, its very traditionalism, as well as certain limitations inherent in the project's origins, may be a limitation in the contemporary landscape that, ironically, the very creator of Final Fantasy helped found. For those who lived through the golden age of the genre between the 1990s and the beginning of the next millennium, this is a journey worth taking.
Review in Italian | Read full review
FAIRY TAIL 2 is a minor disappointment. After the intriguing but acerbic 2020 debut, Gust picks up the celebrated IP to tell a new chapter in the adventures of Natsu Dragneel envisioned by Hiro Mashima. However, the final product fails to elevate the potential of its predecessor, ending up as a far too apathetic RPG despite the rethinking of the combat system. It is a product that ends up appealing exclusively to fans of the original work, who will be able to appreciate its qualities and nuances even after the shortcomings and a less-than-excellent technical compartment.
Review in Italian | Read full review