Ultimately, while respecting the work of the developers, we regret to tell you that yes: to date, Skull Island Rise of Kong is without any shadow of a doubt the worst game of 2023. The production by IguanaBee is a total disaster and there is no single element that is enjoyable. Playing this title is frustrating and the problems go far beyond the facets of the protagonist that have gone viral on social media. In every corner of the game there are unforgivable design errors and this is just one of the reasons why we advise you to stay away from the product. If instead you want healthy trash, then you know where to look for it.

Having arrived on our markets three years later than the country of the Land of the Rising Sun, from a technical point of view The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie is not exactly a cutting-edge cross-gen title. The Nihon Falcom product, which as is well known has a fairly limited budget, however compensates for its technical shortcomings with a well-tested turn-based combat system and an unforgettable narrative plot, which in this case weaves together three different stories and involves a hundred about historical figures. While not equaling the epic nature of Trails of Cold Steel IV, the new proposal from NIS America confirms itself as a deep and exciting JRPG, as well as the right conclusion to the narrative arcs of Erebonia and Crossbell.

Hellboy: Web of Wyrd is an insufficient game in almost every way. Unfortunately, the love that the development team must have for the franchise is not reflected in an action roguelike, slow, cumbersome and terribly lacking in variety. There are few aspects to save: the characterization of the protagonist, the bosses at the end of the level, the impacts of Red's attacks. However, there are many stumbles that leave a bad taste in the mouth: a lackluster level design, a poorly diversified progression and a technical structure that makes the gameplay not very fun. A wasted opportunity to bring Mike Mignola's splendid works back to life. Sin.

After the excellent Monark, it seems that FuRyu is struggling a lot to hit the target. To demonstrate this, Aquria's latest effort has unfortunately proven to be yet another half-successful action RPG: a galvanizing combat system that pays attention to customization is counterbalanced in this case by a narrative structure devoid of character, a defeatist level design and, more generally, from a graphics sector that is a few generations behind. Add to the cocktail a limited longevity and the shortage of secondary content, and you will hardly be able to justify the outlay requested on day one by the publisher NIS America.

The new city builder is a perfect example of a sequel, with its complex systems and many improvements compared to the past. However, if on the one hand there is a renewed graphic sector to admire, on the other hand a vast range of features from the first chapter have been lost (for the moment). The game's cities are bigger, denser and more alive than ever, but achieving the same amount of content as its predecessor will take time.

Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express modernizes a classic. However, the original additions have not always managed to convince us. From the new character, to an ending written almost entirely from scratch, Microids creates an experience that could convince, if it weren't for the extreme ease with which it approaches the case. You will have to take the adventure, therefore, for what it is: an accessible product but without flashes of brilliant design.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is the worthy successor of the first chapter and collects many of its positive aspects, introducing innovations that broaden Milestone's proposal in terms of game modes, tracks and vehicle fleet. Thanks to the addition of jumping in particular, the gameplay can count on a new level of depth which goes well with the variety of challenges available. The pleasant campaign offers dozens of hours of gameplay and the possibilities offered by the track editor could be able to increase the longevity of the product in a concrete way. In short, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is fun, varied and takes several steps forward compared to its predecessor: if you are a fan of these iconic toy cars, it shouldn't escape you.

Super Mario Bros Wonder has one precious merit: it's too much fun. Several times we found ourselves putting off finishing a game session, eager to see what surprise the next level would have in store for us. The innovations introduced in this new chapter are truly numerous, from the power-up system linked to the pins to the surreal effects generated by the Wonder Flowers. The exclusive Nintendo Switch focuses a lot on surprise, but does not forget to deploy an admirable level of attention to detail and a very solid technical sector. The regret remains for the absence of memorable boss fights and for a level of challenge which, in our opinion, could have been calibrated a little higher. Net of these considerations, Super Mario Bros Wonder still remains an excellent product, capable of taking Mario and his friends on new gaming paths.

The PS5 re-release of The Caligula Effect 2 has no real “raison d'etre”. Compared to the PlayStation 4 version which arrived in stores only two years ago, the port does not present any significant additions and both the technical and graphic sectors are almost unchanged. If you already own the previous edition, which these days is offered at much more reasonable prices, there is no valid reason why you should prefer the very lazy port offered to us by NIS America. Those who appreciated the original and have not yet ventured into Redo could save something by targeting the already more reasonable version marketed during 2021.

The experience offered by Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is cinematically all-encompassing: direction, music, interpretations (the dubbing in Italian is also convincing) are comparable to those of a blockbuster, and the revisiting of Spider-Man's imagery is superior even to the already excellent one of first chapter. We could discuss at length Kraven's charisma, the role of a powerful Venom, the intimate and perverse dimension of the symbiote but, clearly avoiding any spoiler, it is sufficient to reiterate how Insomniac has given shape to a high-school adventure, where playful soul and narrative move in symbiosis. There certainly remain some uncertainties inherited from the progenitor, yet the adjustments made to the formula and the greater quality of the secondary activities avoid the specter of the boring standardization of the open world, to give Marvel's Spider-Man 2 a lovably hybrid personality: that of a super blockbuster pop and, at the same time, auteur.

Despite having inherited some problems that the Gameverse has carried with it since its origins, Sword Art Online: Last Recollection is hands down the best SAO tie-in made so far. By minimizing downtime, implementing mechanics aimed at streamlining and speeding up the combat system, and paying more attention to optimization, the guys from Aquria have redeemed themselves and this time created a frenetic and fun action RPG. Since this explores in detail the customs and geography of the Dark Territory, which had found very little space in the War of Underworld anime, we recommend its recovery to fans of the franchise and more generally to lovers of the genre.

Sonic Superstars is exactly what longtime fans wanted from a modern iteration of the series. The new graphics are wonderful and the level design of the stages is well thought out. The main campaign immediately highlights the good replayability of the work thanks to the introduction of four different characters, each of which has unique abilities capable of modifying the approach to the levels and renewing the experience, while the multiplayer modes, which do not allow you to replicate with the same force the heady sprints performed in single player. To this we add some unrewarding bonus phases and some uncertainties regarding the effectiveness of the movement system during the boss fights. Yet Superstars remains a must-see for fans of the blue hedgehog, as well as a recommended purchase for fans of the reference genre.

Following the decadent drift of Tales of Symphonia Remastered, the restoration made to BATEN KAITOS I & II HD REMASTER did not completely convince us. The excellent work done on scenarios and polygonal models is in fact counterbalanced by superfluous playful features, unsatisfactory technical performances and only partial localization of the texts. Since these are two authentic pieces of history of the medium, we recommend their recovery to fans of the genre and to those who would like to delve into the past of Monolith Soft.

On the one hand it is nice to see how the gameplay offered by Company of Heroes Collection is still appreciable despite the many years that have passed, thanks to the substantial and varied campaigns within the production. On the other hand, however, to be fully convincing nowadays, the experience would have needed to be based on an engaging scenic system, capable of transmitting the power of the battles to the player. For purely age reasons, this power is rather reduced in Company of Heroes Collection.

Lords of the Fallen is therefore a rough gem, a mix of potentially interesting ideas which however struggles to express its full potential.

Total War: Pharaoh truly represents a grand return for the famous saga of real-time strategy games. The attention dedicated to a purer form of story is evident, in a distillation of mechanics that evoke the greatness of previous titles without neglecting the necessary improvements that a series with over 20 years of history requires. The abandonment of myths, legends and fantasy elements is an appreciable move that will make historical fans of the saga happy, allowing them to completely immerse themselves in historical settings with an authentic feeling. In Total War: Pharaoh, you can recognize numerous familiar elements now cemented in Total War lore, alongside new additions that enhance historical immersion and bring freshness to Creative Assembly's catalog. The surprising optimization of the game guarantees the stability necessary to make an experience free from hitches or slowdowns shine, capable of effectively immersing the player with respectable views.

Infinity Strash - Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai is not at all the tie-in that fans of the license have always wanted, but not a total disaster either. The contribution of Kai Graphics greatly benefited the visual rendering of the Game Studio Inc game, which however has serious structural defects and a narrative structure incapable of properly enhancing the characterization of Avan's disciples. Closer to the size of a musou than to that of a real action RPG, the combat system is wooden and lacking in terms of depth, even if we must admit that we appreciated the ingenious system represented by the Bonds Memories. The spin-off also does not adapt the entire story and we recommend its recovery to those who already know the original work and are very attached to it, perhaps when the title will be at a heavy discount.

Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless may not be the revolutionary chapter we were promised, but overall we are more than satisfied with the work done by the guys at Nippon Ichi Software, who after the various missteps made with the previous episode have rolled up your sleeves to get the series back on track. Some interventions seemed excessive and not always in focus, such as the reintroduction of the hospital, nevertheless the title works much better than its direct predecessor, also thanks to a more refined technical component, a main cast even crazier than usual and a handful of very innovative innovations. As long as you haven't developed an allergy to grinding, NIS's latest effort will satisfy your palates and give you hundreds of hours of entertainment.

Ultimately, Detective Pikachu - the Return can boast a plot that could entice the most die-hard fans of the Pokémon world but is also characterized by a somewhat sparse gameplay system, which fits into the market segment of investigative graphic adventures designed for a very young audience. The target audience is therefore quite clear but only occasionally manages to achieve the objective it has set itself.

Assassin's Creed Mirage recalls the chapters of the "pre role-playing" era with a certain effectiveness, with a system of notoriety that pushes you to return to anonymity with the means at Basim's disposal. Between the pleasant exploration of Baghdad - well characterized and equipped with the right amount of secondary activities - and interesting main missions, at least as regards level design and approach methods, Ubisoft Bordeaux has created a valid and fun experience, but not without quality problems and fluctuations. The problems related mostly to the martial choreography of the battles are accompanied by a narrative segment that is not as incisive as we hoped and stealth phases impoverished by unrefined enemy AI and offensive solutions that are all too effective.

The steps forward made by Forza Motorsport in terms of the driving system and simulation care are evident, including the important work done to further improve the drivers' AI, which as far as we are concerned reaches peaks of excellence, like the visual presentation . Despite the renewed car upgrade system, the career mode proved to be more tied to the past than we hoped and at times seemed lacking in bite, but this shouldn't be misleading: we are faced with a solid, satisfying and fun, which certainly won't disappoint fans of racing games.

Dune Spice Wars pays homage to the source material in a clear and often effective way. The strategic foundations that the Shiro Games team has laid are also solid, thanks to the various mechanics that refer to the Dune universe. However, on this well-studied foundation the team has built an experience that is at times superficial. The depth and complexity that one would expect from a game set in such a rich imagination are lost in some choices that we struggled to understand. That said, those who love the reference genre and Frank Herbert's iconic novels should give Spice Wars a chance.

Charts of Sennaar is an interesting puzzle game made with great care. The graphic and artistic sector is perfect for representing the symbolism contained in the "biblical" plot that unfolds between the floors of the novel Tower of Babel which is the backdrop to the gameplay. In the gaming field, then, the cycle of research, translation of the mysterious languages spoken by the natives, and finally the resolution of the resulting puzzles, offers great satisfaction, even in the face of a little too much backtracking and a pinch of repetitiveness in the long term which concerns the structure of the puzzles.

Charts of Sennaar is an interesting puzzle game made with great care. The graphic and artistic sector is perfect for representing the symbolisms contained in the "biblical" plot that unfolds between the floors of the novel Tower of Babel which is the backdrop to the gameplay. In the gaming field, then, the cycle of research, translation of the mysterious languages spoken by the natives, and finally the resolution of the resulting puzzles, offers great satisfaction, even in the face of a little too much backtracking and a pinch of repetitiveness in the long term which concerns the structure of the puzzles.

The first work of a small independent studio, Eternights is exactly what we expected: a title that is anything but ambitious and limited in more or less every aspect, which overall is still entertaining, witty and intriguing. A product whose value is, in short, greater than the simple sum of its parts. Bearing in mind that the entrance ticket (equal to €30) is more than affordable, we recommend it to RPG lovers and especially to connoisseurs of the waifu factor.

EA Sports FC 24 is a football chapter halfway between revolution and tradition. Not the impressive step forward that one could expect from the heir to FIFA 23, but a simulator that entertains and pleases despite some recent and historical defects of the brand persisting. The obsessive search for realism, between increasingly realistic animations and a breathtaking glance, clashes with the usual approach to gameplay devoted entirely to speed and frenzy, in which it is very easy to dart into the penalty area but it is far too complicated to defend with clarity and constancy. However, EA Sports remains the only truly valid offer in terms of video game football in this generational parenthesis. Ultimately, thanks to a richer and more stratified range of modes than ever, we can say that Electronic Arts has brought home the result also for the 2023/2024 season.

Fate/Samurai Remnant surprised us. The stories of the swordsman Iori and the cryptic Saber struggling with the Waxing Moon Ritual are entertaining on both a playful and narrative level. Remnant is not satisfied with being "just" a product for fans, even if there would have been nothing wrong with it, on the contrary. The more experienced will have a world of details to discover in the maps, and familiar characters to meet again. Samurai Remnant carefully chooses the key elements of the saga to borrow, motivates them and explains them to novices in understandable terms. The title is therefore first and foremost a lively anime-style action video game, perhaps just a little too diluted at times, with a mysterious plot that branches into multiple endings, charismatic protagonists and an excellent artistic sector. For this reason we are almost sure that, once the adventure is over, many will want to deepen the links with the long-lived and tangled history of which it is part.

Cocoon offers solid gameplay, which develops along a well-thought-out and stimulating learning curve. A system capable of quickly gaining the player's attention, who ends up effortlessly entangled in this unusual tangle of worlds. However, a commendable game design is counterbalanced by a narrative section that fails to captivate the public with equal force. The protagonist's motivations and the epilogue of his adventure struggle to leave their mark at the end of the journey proposed by Cocoon. A dichotomy that will find admirers in lovers of deliberately cryptic stories, but which could generate slight disappointment in players looking for intense emotions. At its core, we would like to reiterate, it remains in any case a gaming experience of absolute value.