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.

Payday 3 is the natural evolution of the second chapter and offers a solid and fun experience, although not without its edges and questionable choices, think for example of the progression structure. The feeling you get when playing the Starbreeze title is that of being in front of an Early Access that starts off very well, but on which there is still work to be done so that it can express itself at its best. It is therefore likely that production will be improved and expanded over time, just like the previous one, through the already confirmed free and paid content updates.

Trinity Team takes advantage of the experience accumulated with the first episode and creates a sequel that is richer and more refined in every aspect. Bud Spencer & Terence Hill: Slaps and Beans 2 is a heartfelt homage to a duo who wrote the history of Italian cinema, with music, references and quotes capable of honoring the legend of Carlo Pedersoli and Mario Girotti. In general, we are faced with a solid beat 'em up, varied at the right point thanks also to the presence of numerous minigames, splendid to see as well as to listen to. Between some hitbox problems and sudden spikes in difficulty, there are some rough edges, yet the title has what it takes to intrigue fans of the genre. If Bud and Terence have played an important role in your life, then we can't tell you anything other than: make it yours immediately, otherwise we'll get angry!

Synced is a free to play shooter characterized by solid gameplay and interesting roguelite mechanics, which however give way to some problems related to the progression system and the underlying repetitiveness of the proposed activities. Despite all the defects, however, the Level Infinite title offers a pleasant experience to play in the company of a group of friends, also thanks to the lack of aggressiveness of the in-app purchases.

It was reasonable to expect more from Firewall Ultra. The legacy of Zero Hour is only partially taken up, given that the production alternates steps forward with inexplicable steps backwards on the interactivity front. The new tactical shooter from First Contact Entertainment keeps its playful qualities intact, starting from the strong emphasis placed on team play, but has to deal with long matchmaking times and a progression system that is not stimulating enough. Then there is the problem of the lack of variety in terms of game modes, which we hope will be expanded in the future.

Larger and more ambitious than the content from which it originated, Strade Diverse is the perfect excuse to return to the world of the Resident Evil 4 remake. Whether it is to discover the new plot implications, or the way in which Capcom has given more value to the grappling hook and reinterpreted some prominent creatures, any fan of the series should experience this thrill ride, also given an absolutely accessible ticket price. Grab your grappling hook and dust off your crossbow: Ada Wong is waiting for you!

By adapting Monster Hunter's playful formula to the Niantic model, which this time around has been revised to meet the needs of the most isolated players, the Californian studio has created its most frenetic and fun application this time. Presenting only thirteen large monsters and six categories of weapons, at present the content offering appears a little lacking, but knowing Niantic and its already confirmed intention to support the product with seasonal events that will introduce new stories, creatures, equipment and so on other, Monster Hunter Now seems to be traveling towards an overall rosy future.

Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis could and should have been the most convenient and immediate solution to review the entire Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, especially given what Square Enix is trying to achieve with the disputed Remake Trilogy. Unfortunately, however, the Japanese giant has bet on a damn confusing structure and a gacha component that risk resulting in the detestable phenomenon of pay-to-win. It's a real shame because, despite the limits imposed by the poor customization of the units, which during battles limits the feasible strategies and opens the door to monotony, the combat system of Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis is very valid and what's more the product can count on a truly delightful artistic direction. If for our part we feel like not recommending it to newbies, who due to the episodic formula would understand little or nothing about the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, historical fans could instead find it a pleasant pastime and, between one mission and another, discover some new details on their favorites.

NBA 2K24 is one of those titles that is difficult to judge and above all to assign a numerical value that can balance its great gaming achievements and disappointing greed. On the one hand there is in fact one of the most beautiful basketball simulations ever made, on the other an online sector that in no way hides the excessive importance of microtransactions. The Mamba Moments and the Eras (with LeBron) are two splendid additions to a content offering with few equals in the sports sector, while ProPLAY technology on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series . In short, NBA 2K24 is one of the best sports games of this generation, and it is a shame that the intrusiveness of microtransactions inevitably ends up weakening the excellent work done on the gameplay.

Phantom Liberty arrives on the market at the same time as the publication of Update 2.0, another important milestone for the Polish company which is literally infusing new lifeblood into the Cyberpunk 2077 project. We are in the presence of a rich expansion with a plot that suddenly turns towards atmospheric typical of political thrillers, whose excellent writing is supported by the excellent performances of the new cast of characters among which, naturally, the star of Idris Elba stands out. It is a risky journey full of dramatic twists in which every decision will have a significant specific weight in the ride that leads up to the end credits. CD Projekt RED has created a product aimed at those who loved the basic adventure and want to continue exploring a new corner of the world of Night City, embellished with multiple content contributions that can multiply the number of hours to be spent on the streets of the city. What price does freedom have? Well, you'll just have to find out...

The Crew Motorfest exudes passion for motors and everything that surrounds them. Not just mechanisms, sticky oil and metal, but also emotions, history, engineering and pilots. The title does not abandon the arcade nature of its predecessors, on the contrary, it strengthens it with a driving system that is easy to approach but more refined and interesting to master, convincing even if not realistic physics and a very respectable graphics sector. Furthermore, on PS5, Dualsense is a very high added value. It's a shame that to have fun even as a solo player you need to always be connected to the Internet, especially because so close to the launch it's difficult to get an idea about the long-term validity of the online game, which for now is promising but less interesting than the solo component. It's also disappointing for the lower recreational impact of vehicles other than four-wheelers and for the rather derivative soul. Certainly, Ubisoft seems to have revived the fortunes of an IP that risked being forgotten and which has now, instead, stepped on the accelerator.

Mortal Kombat 1 presents one of the best combat systems in the saga, creative, rich in variations, deep and complex. The Kameo system and the aerial combos are integrated naturally with the historical gameplay of the saga and provide a new and very interesting perspective on the bloody clashes between the members of the roster. However, the feeling is that NetherRealm has rushed the release, with a rather poor online component and a balance that is not always impeccable. However, it is a very solid episode, and an excellent starting point for anyone who wants to approach the saga.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre not only does justice to the film it is inspired by, but is also a good exponent of the genre it belongs to. Unfortunately, however, the experience is characterized by a repetitiveness that becomes apparent rather quickly due not only to the serious lack of content available at launch, but also to a fairly rigid gameplay setting, which makes all the games similar to each other. While waiting to find out if and how the offer will be expanded with the reveal of the roadmap by the developers, we can say that we are faced with a product that still deserves to be tried by fans of games of this type, especially by those who can dive into the game via Xbox Game Pass.

All things considered, Lies of P is a product that has managed to convince us from practically every point of view. Neowiz's new work, although it plays very defensively and doesn't do anything truly new for the category to which it belongs, is a title with a living and breathing soul that reveals all the passion lavished by the studio during development. An exciting plot combined with the perfect artistic direction are the flagship of a robust and exhilarating play structure that will delight all fans of the genre. Are you ready to discover the darkness that lies in the depths of Krat?

Sea of Stars rejects the abundance of content at all costs and offers a memorable journey, which could have dared a little more on the narrative front, but experienced by characters we couldn't help but appreciate. Through a series of well-thought-out solutions, the combat system proved to be more dynamic than expected and the accompanying activities offered gave us some pleasant moments of pause. Closing the circle is a high-quality audiovisual presentation, thanks to the excellent pixel art and an always guessed sound sector. A title like this, which is also available at launch on Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, shouldn't escape you.

Monochrome Mobius: Rights and Wrongs Forgotten is an experiment that is only partially successful, as Aquaplus's inexperience in the JRPG field and the limited budget have influenced almost all aspects of the product, starting with the obsolete graphics sector and a combat system not quite in focus. In short, the strong point of the package is represented by the convincing plot and the writing of the characters, which with their travails will fascinate Utawarerumono fans and newcomers alike. Being an excellent entry point for those who still don't know the saga, we recommend it to JRPG enthusiasts, perhaps in a less crowded period of important releases and in any case in times of discounts.