4News.it's Reviews
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss, tells a poignant, intriguing, rather unhappily tinged story of introspection that takes place entirely beneath the ocean depths. Exploring the remains of the ship - provided we get past the initial stages - is utterly engrossing, and deciphering its mysteries (more than fifty) kept us engaged from start to finish. Yes, some elements don't work very well, such as the menus - a bit difficult to navigate and use - but going over and turning a blind eye, you will really struggle to stop playing this adventure of mysteries and revelations.
Review in Italian | Read full review
MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a monument in video game format. Collected in a single title are seven of the most important crossover fighting games in gaming history, including the immortal Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. The collection is a unique opportunity not only for all fans of the genre (who will buy it without even waiting for a review) but also for all those who are curious about how certain mechanics and logic were arrived at in contemporary titles today. A history book to be consumed avidly.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Akimbot is a completely derivative title that manages to soften the rigidities of the predecessors of the subgenre it draws inspiration from, while inexplicably self-limiting in terms of its core gameplay mechanics. Fortunately, the title is packed with various special sequences that provide the production with plenty of variety. Even more so, it is an incredibly intense product, with no downtime. In a word, explosive.
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The Casting of Frank Stone, unfortunately, represents the weakest link in the Supermassive Games catalog and a drab single-player debut for Dead by Daylight. An uninspired horror tale in its unfolding, with a gameplay component further stripped down to the bone to the point that it now seems little more than an interactive movie. Fans of the canadian intellectual production will be able to appreciate the lore references and the breath of the production, finding satisfaction and gratification. All others, however, may find this walk in the woods a bit too quiet.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP - net of a happy throwback - does not shine (also aided by lazy repurposing on the part of the developer) as we would have expected. The game certainly entertains and does so for the vast majority of the time, with a charm and easygoingness - even today - that is incredible and out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, the upgrade to the graphics (to 4K/60fps), the welcome but insubstantial (albeit discreetly enjoyable) gameplay improvements and the RePOP mode (which we honestly didn't quite understand who it's aimed at), are not enough - also considering the less than stable performance - to justify its €40-plus price tag.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Visions of Mana marks the return of one of Square Enix's least celebrated series in recent years, but no less relevant. The team at Ouka Studios makes a title that is inherently classic in setting, narrative and feel, but calibrated for a contemporary audience. The result is a Mana that has never been so enjoyable to play, rich in content with a delightfully retro spirit, as well as a deep and rewarding combat system. However, precisely because of its strongly intended and sought-after traditionalism, the title may be far too nostalgic to appeal to a modern audience. For everyone else, it will be a sweet shipwreck in this sea of memories.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Gori: Cuddly Carnage is one of those independent productions capable of entertaining us and printing a satisfied grin on our faces. The crazy premise of the production results in an inspired action platformer that mixes style, combat, humor and splatter. A proof of character for the Swedish developers of Angry Demon Studio that will especially win over lovers of stylish action titles and those who look back with nostalgia to past video game generations, even after a few technical embarrassments. A little gem that we nevertheless recommend to (almost) everyone ... also because we know that unicorns are obnoxious and you have always dreamed of slaughtering them with a cat on a hoverboard.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Overall, NBA 2K25 is a nice improvement over its predecessor, thanks to an excellent job of correcting several of the previous iteration's flaws. The gameplay is very solid (starting from the movement on offense, through the contestation of the opponent's shot, to the greater impact that the defense has and the very good AI). All the modes work with the exception of the one dedicated to the WNBA (which will hopefully get the right treatment in the future). However, the biggest flaw of the franchise has not yet been solved, and we refer to the microtransactions and the considerable amount of VC needed to improve your player's build; if you don't have a lot of time to devote to it, it is practically impossible not to use cash, which - in our view - is really an unacceptable constraint. That aside, NBA 2K25 is one of the best titles in the series, if not the best in years!
Review in Italian | Read full review
Ultimately, nearly five years after the initial announcement and with great fanfare, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, launches with problems (some really serious). But if you can look past the glitches, the bugs, the graphical shortcomings, the lack of life in what is supposed to be a 1:1 transposition of Hong Kong, and the numerous, festering server problems, you will find a good driving experience. It almost sounds like a tease, but when Solar Crown works, we guarantee it works for real, with really fun races and with even the exploration on foot being able to offer something that helps Solar Crown stand out. Unfortunately, the obvious criticalities have largely scuttled a product that could have excelled or nearly excelled, and only time will tell if there will be improvements or not; for now we do not feel like recommending, considering the price as well, the purchase of the game, better to wait and see how things evolve in the future!
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mecha Therion marks an important transition for Steel Mantis. After the success garnered with the first Valfaris, the development team decides to revolutionize its creature, abandoning a successful play structure in favor of a scrolling arcade shooter with bullet hell overtones. The courage is rewarded with a title that is once again compelling and unscrupulous, if much more contained and less dazzling. In the impossibility of comparing two such different titles, it becomes mere subjective taste to prefer one or the other but one thing remains certain: the metal continues to flow powerfully.
Review in Italian | Read full review