I find myself at a loss to understand where the fan love of the series comes from for this latest installment of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon saga. The game starts out strong with incredibly topical themes such as a return to a life of honesty for former criminals and reaction Youtubers who are listened to and believed without asking too many questions. Alas, the plot, once in vast (perhaps TOO vast Honolulu), takes on a diluted feel, though, with entire chapters devoted to repeating one of these things:
-Reaching a long on the other side of the map while the bad guys attack us in the streets.
-Going to investigate a place we've already investigated, hoping to find new clues
-Believing we have a lead, realizing the lead is a dead end, and finding ourselves again not knowing what to do (until, literally from the sky, a new clue or hint about where to investigate comes along).
You can clearly see that the Hawaiian plot is very diluted because, once you turn to Mechagodzilla, its missions flow smoothly and excitingly. A washout to my ducks almost the entire Ichiban storyline, from his found mother to his final boss.
Dondoko Island is boring and hard to handle like it's The Sims because of the size of the island and the real lack of things to do. Dondoko Island's ending terrible.
Sujimon well done and fun!
Tinder-style minigame pretty sad when you think he's lying to a lot of women.
The old guard trio arrives, stays busy for 1 hour fighting 6 thugs, and comes back at the end like they defeated most of the enemies.
Nice bar talk and bingo to find out more about your comrades.
Easy and at times boring combat.
By now the same six faces used for the yakuza are beginning to reek of gone bad, can we have more?
Kiryu goes from being about to die any minute to taking 30 floors of stairs with ease.
Unmemorable side stories.
Appreciated the new character Tomizawa, maybe they could have added a couple more.

In short, I find myself not loving this chapter. When the studio tries to do something too big the game suffers in my honest opinion. Let's go back to smaller stories in smaller locations but full of love please.

Short Review: the fact that I abandoned this game for Dishonored 1 and had a blast, understanding what a real stealth game is supposed to be, should tell you everything about this game.

Long review: Man, this game... I really wanted to like the new Assassin's Creed. I stepped away from the series due to its lack of stealth, which was its core element (plus the incredibly poorly written plots). So, upon the announcement of Assassin's Creed: Mirage, a game focused on stealth rather than combat, I was genuinely excited. The lower price indicated an attempt to offer a smaller title to capture attention.

Unfortunately, yet again, I recalled why Ubisoft games often have some of the worst stories. Assassin's Creed: Mirage immerses you in a character's tale, and then... things happen. You end up killing people with no attachment, no real connection (neither hate nor compassion for them—they're the most two-dimensional cardboard villains ever). I'm tired of repeating this, but the FIRST GAME OF THE SERIES was superior in every aspect of story (and if you ask me, gameplay too).

Assassin's Creed made me intensely curious about its world, the unfolding in the second, the past, and more. However, this latest iteration is just dull. The first game made me recall the name of every person I assassinated, their backgrounds, and the reasons why they were either bad or good under certain circumstances. But not now. Nowadays, Assassin's Creed simply showcases evil guys doing evil things for the sheer pleasure of being dark and edgy. Basim lacks charisma, lacks interest. The city becomes tedious to traverse, especially through areas patrolled by guards that inexplicably block only you, making travel between zones annoying.

The combat is some of the worst I've witnessed in a game. It's worth noting that the creators didn't intend to design a fighting mechanic that you're supposed to excel at. However, in multiple segments of the game, it somewhat forces you into combat, making it incredibly difficult for the player to avoid. Also, it's clunky. Very clunky controls, something I'm surprised about in 2023.

It's apparent that the foundation resembles a game more inclined towards 'let's fight,' akin to Valhalla, yet used in a stealth-based game that should be as precise as a clock. Please, just revisit (or experience for the first time) Dishonored 1 and 2.

Like a Dragon Gaiden continues my journey through the series. This year I have already completed Like a Dragon Ishin, a game that made me really appreciate the beauty of the fighting style of Yakuza. Unfortunately, I have to say that I didn't have as much fun as I was hoping for with the combat style of this episode. Maybe because it's a "smaller" spin-off, maybe because fighting with a sword was so DAMN fun in the other game, but unfortunately the fights in this game are neither memorable or hard. Heck, even Amon, the secret boss of every Yakuza game, was weird and required me to "cheat" my way to victory using only special moves.

But it is not all negative under the sun: the game story is involving, the acting as always over the top (just like we love it), the side activities once again NEED to be studied by other developers for their games because they are deep as an entire game (I of course finished all the races in the Pocket Circuit minigame, who do you think are you talking to?).

If you can play this game on Game Pass is a MUST, if you can get it for a bit cheaper is highly recommended. We love you Kiryu... I mean, Joryu

Short version:
Initially unimpressed with Dishonored years ago, the recent frustration with a sketchy stealth system in another game led me back. Now, I'm in awe:

-Exceptional detail and character design
-Versatile powers for various playstyles
-Strong incentive for stealth play
-Engaging story with informative in-game lore
-Rewarding upgrades
-Timeless style; a must-try for stealth enthusiasts.

Long version:
Wow... just wow...
I had played Dishonored years ago on my Xbox 360. Back then I wasn't a patient gamer nor did I like losing, getting caught by enemies when in stealth or not being "cool" when trying to do certain actions. I had finished the game in a short time and put it aside, not very impressed and actually a little annoyed. Then this year I decided to play Assassin's Creed Mirage....
I won't talk about the latter here, but the game's sketchy (to use a nice word and not a bad one) stealth system made me say 'I feel like playing a game where playing stealth is really well done'. And so I went back to Dishonored: Definitive Edition with the Xbox Game Pass.
The game is incredible:
-the level of detail, the design of everything, especially the characters in the game (from the guard to the targets)
-Powers that allow you to play the game any way you like
-A clear and defined incentive to play stealth, which I appreciate incredibly
-The story, the books left around explaining in detail the world we are living in
-Upgrades that have to be obtained, a way to feel rewarded for doing so
The game hasn't aged a second because of the style chosen, I recommend it to anyone who craves a stealth challenge that makes you feel rewarded for studying the level thoroughly!

"Books are, without exception, factually inaccurate"
"Please, MysteryMonkey49 is my online name. You can just call me MysteryMonkey"
"Oh so the normal explosive ingredients then"

This game is a gem. Long no more than an hour, it's a mine full of incredibly quotable jokes. Now that all three cases are on Xbox Game Pass you MUST play it!

Last night around midnight I decided to give a chance to Viriginia, a game I have had for years in my Xbox game library but have never even started.
First of all, the game has a very unique and beautiful graphical style. It reminded me a lot of the 'minimalism' of Kentucky Route Zero, another game where these 'simple' character designs make the style memorable.
The game has no dialogue, not a single one. It is all expressed visually with the characters expressing their emotions and their 'dialogues' with their bodies or their looks. I found the idea very original and requires the player to pay attention.
That said, the plot is obviously a bit difficult to follow. There are a lot of red herrings that don't lead to much. The last part of the game is even surreal (but in-game motivated).
It is an experience that must be tried, short but unique, at least to be able to say that you played it yourself and not a web reviewer.

I find myself in the midst of a challenging period in my life when it comes to my mental health. As I was tidying up my apartment, I stumbled upon an archived episode of the 'Into the Aether' podcast, focusing on Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

This discovery led me to revisit the game, which I had previously dabbled in. I had fond memories of the DS installment, my introduction to the series, and naturally, like many others during quarantine, I thoroughly enjoyed playing the Switch version in 2020. My recollection of the 3DS version was hazy at best, apart from the fact that I had abandoned it rather swiftly. However, inspired by the podcast, I decided to give it another go, especially because I lacked internet connectivity at home.

My reappraisal of the game surprised me. It starts off a bit slowly, somewhere between the unbridled freedom of the DS edition and the structured tutorial of the Switch edition. Yet, once you're immersed in the gameplay, it unfolds quite delightfully, offering daily activities such as fruit harvesting, fossil hunting, and contributing to public projects. The latter, in particular, serves as the core of the game. Despite our mayoral role, our actual impact is quite limited. We can only enact town ordinances (like altering shop hours) and initiate fundraising for public works. Strangely, the residents never seem to utilize these public works, and their contributions toward them are meager, rendering them somewhat redundant. This has been a persistent issue throughout the series, leading me to believe that Nintendo should reevaluate how residents interact with players in the upcoming installment, particularly for those like me who prefer offline gameplay.

In summary, the game offers a relaxing experience, making it perfect for a vacation devoid of internet access where you can indulge in a bit of daily gaming. I would also recommend it to those who enjoyed the Switch version, despite its quirks. Nonetheless, it's crucial for Nintendo to enhance the depth of resident interactions in the next release.

I'm a Yakuza series fan, having completed chapters 0 and 7, and I love the setting, characters, and stories. When I heard about the remastered/remake/"whatever people call it" of the Ishin chapter, I was immediately drawn to it. Few open-world games feature Japan, let alone a realistic one without monsters. Just like I mentioned in my Red Dead Redemption 2 review, that game redefined open-world checklists for me. It took over 100 hours to complete this one because I wanted to experience every piece of content, even defeating one of the series' legendary secret boss.

While the gameplay may seem familiar for a Yakuza game, the inclusion of swords and guns introduces three remarkably distinct fighting styles, making combat more enjoyable than ever before (I say 3 because I never used the fists only style, almost a meme in this game tbh). It's not just about "my fists deal more damage" as equipment upgrades provide a tangible sense of progression.

The story is as epic as any in the series, and there's not much more to say about that. My only regret is missing just ONE fish to complete my collection :((

In summary, this is a highly recommended game that offers a fast-paced, fun experience with an intriguing setting and thrilling fights. It's a must-play for the series fans, especially with its upcoming availability on Game Pass!

Inspired by the Into the Aether podcast, I played Venba around midnight on a Friday night and completed it in about an hour or so.
Beginning with the game's merits, the game's art department is the real driving force behind the game, with drawings that come to life. The game itself cares that they are seen as drawings: at times when there are zoomed-in details, the outlines of the characters are clearly irregular, as if done in pencil. Simply wonderful.
The gameplay is simple and fun. The game is moooooolly short as I said. Of the hour I described, I will have played for half the time and in the other half the story was being told.
Speaking of the story, it is perhaps the part that convinced me the least. It seems to suggest that it will have two points of view, neither of them correct or wrong, but it ends with almost exactly that ending. A little "strong" in saying "see? This is how you should see your culture," a somewhat difficult subject for me, an Italian who left home many many years ago.
Anyway, if you have the game pass, it must be tried!