Fun Factor

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is an interesting mix of action and tower defense strategy, with an impressive art direction and a charm that reminded me of old PS2 Capcom titles like Okami, although some gameplay issues and the first few tedious hours hold it back.

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The Lost Crown is one of my favorite games of the year and maybe my favorite Prince of Persia game ever. The fluid and skill-expressive movement and combat really shine in this Metroidvania that shows there's still a place for the series in a post-Assassin's Creed Ubisoft.

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Crow Country is a love letter to the classics of the survival horror genre, being not only faithful to the visual style but also packing impressive atmosphere and control over the main character, Mara Forest as she traverses the abandoned amusement park.

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Sand Land shows how good Akira Toriyama's storytelling and world building really was, unfortunately this is all bogged down with an empty open world filled with repetitive tasks and little to no reward for doing them.

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Stellar Blade is a fun and satisfying hack and slash, boasting a fast paced combat that makes the player feel like a badass, although its female representation leaves a lot to be desired.

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Rise of the Ronin shows that once again Team Ninja knows how to do fun combat systems with a ton of depth, unfortunately the rest of the package isn't quite up to par, with a disappointing story and structure that make the game drag on.

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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is surprisingly fun, comical and further improves on the already excellent ATB combat system. It's already one of the contenders for best game of the year.

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Pepper Grinder is a fun title with fluid and precise movement that makes its platforming and puzzle satisfying to clear. I'm a bit disappointed that the game is so short, as I feel like there could be more ideas and mechanics to explore here.

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As the first official live-service game from Sony, Helldivers 2 manages to stand on its own despite a certain lack of content. Its gameplay thrives by embracing the chaotic opportunity of its systems: from the hordes to friendly fire, to the multiple in-game effects (meteor showers, muddy terrain. Etc.). And its narrative consistency rarely fails to entertain, by feeding its ultracapistalist and fascist worldview.

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I highly recommend Blasphemous 2 to any Metroidvania fan. It's a great sequel with snappy, satisfying combat and movement, great exploration and a heavy, brutal and memorable world.

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Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a sequel and a half to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, filled with great content and a very much improved combat system. That said, its narrative frustrated me, the story doesn't really decide what it wants to be or say and it ends up disrespecting its characters and the sacrifices they made throughout the game.

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Brothers is a good remake of an overlooked gem of the 7th generation of consoles, boasting a graphical overhaul that completely transforms some of the areas, and some new little secrets make it worth the play for both new and old players alike, that said, some technical problems were a bummer.

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While the graphical improvements are subtle, the new modes are worth the price of admission alone, especially No Return, a Roguelike mode that's absurdly fun, although it could use a bit more permanent progression to spice up later runs.

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Like a Dragon Gaiden is a fun but mostly inconsequential entry in the series. The shorter main campaign actually makes it more enjoyable as the expansive side content makes up for it. As a fan, I enjoyed the game but it's pretty clear that its main objective is just to keep us invested on the upcoming Infinite Wealth.

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God of War Ragnarok Valhalla is a delightful expansion that not only enhances the combat experience it also deepens Kratos' development as he faces both past and future. Being free to download makes the expansion a no-brainer recommendation.

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Super Mario RPG is a delightful little remake that adds a lot of quality of life updates to the combat especially, that remains as fun as ever. Despite some dated aspects that strangely remain, and a choppy framerate at points it's still a great experience for all ages.

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When discussing video games as works of art, Alan Wake 2 is one of those works that will pop into my mind immediately. It's a brilliant piece of entertainment with a unforgettable narrative and setting and one of the best games of what has been an astounding year in 2023.

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Persona 5 Tactica has a fun and dynamic gameplay loop, and a story with potential but all that ends up undermined by repetition and an excessive amount of dialogue that has little to no substance.

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After finishing the campaign in a few hours, I've felt that Unleashed 2 didn't have much to offer. The track builder is a strong feature for the creative type players, and overall the game is solid, even if a bit too simple. If you can grab it at a discount, it's a good Christmas gift for children who like the toy brand, but other than that, I can't recommend this game at its full price.

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Hellboy Web of Wyrd is a flawed game, from countless visual bugs to a clunky dodge, but the thing is that despite all this, the combat and overall package makes it one of the more fun titles I've played this year.

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