Danilo Dellafrana

“Monolith Soft brings back one of Tetsuya Takahashi's most unique JRPGs, originally buried in the depths of Wii U. The absence of the GamePad is amply compensated for by new content and enhancements that refine both the pace of the confrontations and the narrative experience, making the adventure even more immersive. Living up to its name, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is the best way to lose yourself for countless hours among the wonders of Mira.”

“Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is not perfect. It tries to make up for the dastardly mistakes made by the Sigma series, but it succeeds only partially and fails to replicate that perfect intensity that Tomonobu Itagaki managed to get right in 2008. It remains, however, the best version of the game currently available on modern systems, thanks in part to Unreal Engine 5, which enhances its aesthetics to excellent levels. It may not be entirely worthy of the Black suffix, but this Ninja Gaiden 2 still deserves your attention as you await the fourth chapter.”

“The atmosphere of Metro Awakening is extraordinary, skilfully realised thanks to an absolutely fine setting and great care for tension. The linearity of the path and a certain repetitiveness of generally already seen mechanics risk trivialising the whole thing, also in the light of the not exactly low price. If you are able to turn a blind eye, however, you will be rewarded by a plot worth experiencing, especially if you love the dystopia created by Dmitry Glukhovsky.”

“It could be argued that this is a collection of roms and that, in one way or another, the PC community has found a way to challenge each other online for years, but the rich dose of extras and the presence of rollback and ranked matches alone is enough to give the collection an edge, not to mention a great way to legally own seven excellent games. To be had, hoping that sales will prompt Capcom to challenge Marvel superheroes again in the near future.”

“Tengo Project strikes again, this time with its most ambitious work yet. A far cry from being a simple update of an old classic, Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn is a full-fledged remake made with inventiveness and respect for the source material, a true rewrite of an eight-bit game that has passed somewhat under the radar in the West. It could not have received a better redemption.”

“Emio - the Smiling Man has a good story to tell, held hostage by mechanics from the early days of Japanese interactive fiction that refuse to give way to fresher, more current game design ideas. It's a bit of a trial-and-error fairground and excessive verbiage, but if that doesn't scare you off (there's a demo to try out that might suit you) you'll be rewarded with an investigative tale of unquestionable value.”

“Volgarr the Viking II is not so much a definite step forward from the first chapter as a refinement of mechanics and level design. The challenge is always very high and the limited number of credits before 'screwing up' the game is a rather unpleasant idea, but if you're looking for the atmosphere that made classics like Rastan great it might be the game for you, provided you have as much patience as your joypad skills.”

“Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is a game tailor-made for speedrunners, and played alone it risks losing its appeal in a short time. It's a creature made for a well-thought-out competitive ecosystem, which with online challenges could keep the interest of its select audience high for a long time, or at least until the arrival of an eventual SNES Edition. Perhaps not for everyone, but intriguing if the challenge doesn't scare you.”

“Parasol Stars is still a fun and colourful platform game, an heirloom from a simpler and more innocent era that is worth preserving. The low price and online leaderboards are a good incentive to embark on this journey into the past, minus a somewhat lazy and gritty adaptation.”

“Trails Through Daybreak is a rather classic role-playing game and will delight Nihon Falcom fans, if only to inaugurate yet another narrative strand in a now endless dynasty. The combat system isn't quite as polished as the one seen in Trails of Cold Steel, however, and the plot likes to keep the pace a bit too slow, but as a start there's nothing to complain too much about, thanks also to the charisma of a protagonist like Van and an intriguing game world as only Falcom is capable of creating.”

“Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance breaks the shackles that initially bound it to a far too modest hardware to finally shine on a range of systems capable of enhancing its visionary beauty. On top of that, a resounding series of additions makes the handling of demons even deeper, while an alternative story line will keep even those who lost sleep over the Switch version happy.”

“Wizardry Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is yet another masterstroke from Digital Eclipse, a developer capable of breathing new life into classics with incredible talent. Apart from its fundamental historical value, however, Wizardry is a game that is now rather limited in its mechanics and cadence, classifying itself as an artefact suitable mainly for digital archaeologists eager to rediscover it. It would have been great if it had been accompanied by the wealth of historical notions to which Digital Eclipse has now accustomed us.”

“: It might seem like a classic case of quantity overshadowing quality, but in reality Samurai Warriors 4 DX is a decent conversion of one of the most popular chapters among Musou fans, enhanced by a hefty dose of DLC. It shows its age in several respects but retains an exciting and entertaining soul, which will finally delight those who have been longing for the game's arrival on PC since 2014.”

“Endless Ocean Luminous is not the dream sequel I always hoped for to Arika's beloved submarine series. The change of direction has favoured the co-operative component, but has mutilated the original experience of many interesting and distinctive features. The purely educational aspect remains, and the possibility of organising dives together with such a large number of friends is not to be underestimated, but I wouldn't recommend the game to those who are only interested in reliving the fascinating sensations of the original chapters on Wii.”

“Unicorn Overlord is incredible, a deep and affordable strategy game that resurrects and updates the formula of a divisive classic like Ogre Battle, dormant since the days of Person of Lordly Caliber. Beautiful to look at and listen to, magnetic and impossible to leave behind: it's all right, apart from a few minor flaws listed in the body of the review. They really don't make games like this any more, so don't miss it.”

“Radiant Silvergun is personally the best shooter written by Treasure, but it's not for everyone. The measured cadence of the action and the difficulty of handling the seven weapons make it difficult to approach for those who prefer the deflagrating action of more dynamic alternatives like danmaku, but the effort of mastering such unique mechanics is repaid by an extraordinary game.”

“Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising is a fighting game that makes immediacy its strong point, easy to approach but incredibly deep. The mechanics of the first chapter have been honed to perfection, and a rich roster offers hours of fun in company. It's a pity that the content reserved for solo players is very limited, classifying the game as a feast for those who like to compete online. Those simplified controls I just can't bring myself to like.”

“Journey to Foundation is a game that is greater than the sum of its parts: the absolute merit of the original work is set against the backdrop of mechanics and ideas that are limited and already seen, but when put together manage to function as pieces in the complex and fascinating mosaic that Foundation has always been. Do not, however, expect a revolutionary or particularly challenging VR experience.”

“Ufo Robot Goldrake The Feast of Wolves is unfortunately a mediocre game, so much so that I would not recommend it even to the most die-hard fans of the iconic robot, except at a discounted price. Like the original material, it is a product aimed at a young audience, ironically at the antipodes of the old-timers who are supposed to represent the hardcore Actarus fans.”

“Star Ocean The Second Story R is an over-the-top remake that comprehensively improves on the original game, bringing the best-loved chapter of the celebrated tri-Ace series up to date once again. A few improvements tend to further crack the mechanisms of a game that was not particularly balanced to begin with, but overall it's an old-fashioned JRPG experience that won't fail to thrill fans of the genre.”