Daniele Cucchiarelli

“Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is a more compact and aesthetically appealing game than the original. The redundant narrative elements of the original have been appropriately modified and, although the plot remains more than canonical and quite "cheesy," the cast remain among the best in the series. Characters progression and customization are more efficient, and the combat system, while remaining hyper-classic, is now faster and more immediate. The ability to scale the difficulty as desired is excellent, but the game still needs some post-launch balancing.”

“An epic fantasy ARPG that has retained its charm despite the passing years. Its arrival on Switch 2 coincides with an Anniversary version packed with tons of content and aesthetic improvements, which are nevertheless ruined by significant technical issues (input lag and frame rate drops above all) that should not be there, given the 30 fps limit. Also worth noting is the launch price, which is frankly too high for such an outdated product that has been given a lazy and makeshift update.”

“An entertaining retro shooter featuring appealing aesthetics and refined, varied gameplay that is just the right amount of challenging. Those who grew up playing old classics such as Wild Guns, Contra, and Cabal will feel right at home, but they will have to work hard to reach the end credits.”

“A kart game that challenges Mario Kart or Smash Bros. on floating vehicles? Kirby Air Riders has speed in its DNA and rewards the most skilled and patient players with tons of unlockable items. At the same time, however, the many facets of its playful soul risk being too much and confusing the "core" experience. Between dozens of mini-games, lightning-fast races, and boss battles with weapons, the game loses some of its focus but still remains a fun experience... especially in multiplayer.”

“Another old-school survival horror game, for better or worse. If you love fixed camera angles, pre-rendered backgrounds, limited saves, and constant tension, you can safely add half a point to the final rating. Technically, it's a step up from the previous installment, with excellent, detailed locations, atmospheric and crystal-clear sound, and responsive controls. Animations and poly-models aren't top-notch, but you can't have everything.”

“The musou genre immersed in the world of Zelda is once again a success. A first-rate cast brings to life a story that feels a little familiar but still manages to thrill. The gameplay remains a little monotonous and suffers some balancing issues, but multiple elements and characters introduced throughout the game manage to refresh the whole thing and provide constant motivation to reach the end credits... and beyond.”

“Katamari Damacy is back and it's still the same crazy, fun, and hypnotic game. The first real new chapter in the series after 14 years offers a remarkable amount of content, many customization options, and gameplay that is accessible to everyone but requires quite a bit of practice to master. The camera system, which has always been both a blessing and a curse for the series, has been improved, but especially in the more complex levels, it will require a great deal of patience.”

“Chaotic, crazy, rich, explosive. Sonic Racing CrossWorlds is the best kart game outside the Nintendo universe and, in some ways, it is even more compelling than Mario Kart World. The only thing missing is that final spark that would allow it to definitively emerge from the shadow of its rival.”

“Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac is a fun and light-hearted action platformer full of little surprises and mini-challenges that will delight fans of Namco's popular mascot. The excessive ease and speed with which the main adventure concludes are its most notable flaws, which could deter players looking for a real challenge.”

“Everybody's Golf returns to its roots, leaving the pseudo open-world of previous instalment for a more traditional structure. The new dev team has worked to give fans an accessible but appropriately challenging title, full of classic and new challenges, but it should have worked harder to offer something truly new that went beyond mini golf-style modes and, above all, a title that was technically and aesthetically on par with current platforms.”

“An aesthetically pleasing, fast-paced and appropriately challenging FPS with platforming elements and strong references to the Metroid Prime series. Reikon Games had already demonstrated their talent with Ruiner and have once again proven themselves to be highly skilled at creating atmospheric futuristic adventures with incredibly captivating gameplay ideas.”

“After Goldrake, Microids brings Space Adventure Cobra back to life, putting the spotlight on a sort of interstellar Lupin III who loves to get himself into trouble. Unfortunately for him, this time he gets caught up in an adventure that is undermined by some questionable design choices and a totally messed-up control system.”

“After 20 years of exclusive, Gears of War is now available on PlayStation 5 with the very first chapter of the series further refined, enhanced, and complete with all content released to date. A few wrinkles are noticeable, and the rigidity of the gameplay may make it a little hard to swallow for younger players accustomed to exaggerated speeds, but the charisma is still there, and the power of the war between COG and Locusts is still ready to make your Lancer explode in your hands.”

“A huge and luxurious mansion, haunted and full of traps, becomes the setting of deadly challenges between complete strangers. What might seem like the beginning of a book written by Agatha Christie and Stephen King is actually a surprisingly fresh and entertaining party game with a thriller twist. Technically it's not a masterpiece, but if you have a few friends around it could become your favourite multiplayer game until Halloween and beyond.”

“A futuristic wheelchair basketball game that nods to Rocket League. The idea isn't bad and the foundation is there, but currently Drag x Drive is more of an experimental title that needs some tuning and, above all, desperately needs new content in the months immediately following its launch.”

“There's a bit of everything in Luto. Wandering through its endless rooms and corridors that only appear to be the same, you will perceive visions of Silent Hill, references to the legendary P.T. and many other echoes from other psychological thriller games, from Layers of Fear to the underrated Reveil. A brief descent into the depths of the mind, but one that will linger in your memory even after the credits roll.”

“An adventure-platformer that seems to come straight out of the 64bit golden-age.The original "swap system" succeeds in raising the gameplay above average and in bringing to life some truly unique and entertaining puzzle elements. The overflowing "richness" of some levels makes orientation more difficult than it should be and some performance issues would require a technical update from the development team.”

“After more than 8 years Yakuza 0 is still one hell of an action game and the best chapter in the series. Deep narrative, exceptional cast and multi-faceted gameplay. The Director's Cut version for Switch 2 improves on the original in every single aspect, elevating the tech and adding more meat around the bone with a brand new multiplayer mode.”

“A fishing-themed adventure with RPG elements that brings the characters of a web-com that has become very popular worldwide to PC and consoles. The fishing mechanics are unexpectedly funny and a few small variations on the basic theme manage to keep a gameplay full of humour gags inspired by video game stereotypes, which nevertheless suffers from a certain repetitiveness in the long run.”

“Stormteller Games' Lost in Random: The Eternal Die fights, dodges, stings and hits hard to try and knock out rival Hades. It comes close to doing so thanks to convincing and compelling gameplay, but less deep and eclectic than Supergiant Games' masterpiece. Still, it remains an excellent product that fans of the genre should seriously consider.”