Disclosure: I am still playing Vampire Survivors, but I have currently finished almost all of the achievements for the base game and all of the achievements for the first DLC, without yet starting the second one.

I haven't played many games like Diablo before, in fact I can't think of many. Initially, in my arrogant way, I had thought VS was nothing more than a game I wouldn't devote my time to because it was too popular (yes, I'm an edgy boi...). I started the game in the very well-produced smartphone version but, perhaps because of the touch control, I had failed to penetrate the essence of the game and had kind of forgotten about it. But playing it later on the Xbox Game Pass really kicked it into gear: unlocking 7-8 objectives per game makes you feel like a god, until the real challenge gets difficult and you have to start planning what you'll want to do. The game is addictive and the music is great, but it's also perfect as a game to play while listening to a podcast or your own music. I don't know how many hours I spent playing it while listening to video essays on YouTube. The game is simply addictive, seeing the damage and destruction a well-built character can do already after a few minutes makes the player feel empowered, and I think we need more games like this, afterwards we feel a bit like the protagonists of a Shonen hahaha. Absolutely recommended, I recommend downloading the phone version if you want to try it and then upgrade to a PC/Console experience!

This review comes after finishing the game's second DLC, thus leading me to compare it to the latter.

This DLC adds a beautiful setting and fantastic and fun creatures. That said, being precisely the first DLC, I was not quite sure what could be hoped for from these. New characters, weapons and two settings (I think) are added in this DLC.

Finished 100%, it adds a more of the same to the base game. Unfortunately, the second DLC is so much better that this one unfortunately comes out less good. But in the end, it costs less than a Starbucks coffee! In short, get it!

Wow. Okay. It's hard for me to put into written words what this game has been for me. I clearly see a before and after for this game in my life, as for many Zelda BOTW or other titles have been.

RDR2 wasn't just a game for me: it was almost a life experience. Many gamers play competitive games online with their friends, accumulating hundreds of hours in a short time. It's always been different for me: I've always preferred singleplayer games and smaller, more completable objectives. I rarely completely complete an open-world game, and even more rarely play it that much.

I played RDR2 for 280 hours in plus or minus 7 months. Started prompted by a girl I was dating after years of procrastination, I decided to start it and quickly got into a fistfight with the character control system, stiff as a piece of leather left out in the sun. But when you take control of it, it becomes a bit like when you see an anime where they pilot a mecha and you wonder how they make it do so many things with only two controllers. RDR2 is the same: When you learn how to control walking, shooting, riding, everything becomes intuitive.

I've always hated side quests and collectible collections in the GTA series games. With RDR2 Rockstar once again didn't create much incentive in completing these challenges for players who want to get cool power-ups or things like that. On the contrary, it continues to tease you as usual with almost ridiculous rewards. But I didn't care: I caught every legendary fish, killed every legendary animal, found every fossil, every dreamcatcher, every cigarette sticker. Why? Why not? These activities would never have appealed to me normally, but in this game they become part of the world, a world that you feel part of, that you want to participate in, solve the problems, understand how it works. That doesn't happen often for me. It definitely didn't happen with GTA V (absolutely overrated game).

The story, without spoilers, is one of the most engaging things I've played. While predictable, Arthur Morgan's character has perhaps become one of my all-time favorites. Big, angry, but also kind and ready to help (in his own way). I know he can be played in more violent ways, but they don't make sense to me. The personal journey Arthur goes through is that of a character from books, from movies. It evolves before our eyes, especially if you take the time to play the game slowly.

The game world, with the fact that the quick journey is not immediately unlocked, pushes you to enjoy the scenery, relax, ride mindlessly. What I was saying before about forever changing how I see games is here: when I played Zelda BOTW years ago I liked it, but I didn't spend too much time exploring the world, I got bored. A few weeks ago I tried it again, preparing for the sequel, and the game looked completely different with my new eyes. I was no longer running toward objectives, no longer using only the bare minimum of weapons and items to survive. Within a couple of hours I was already a different player, observing what was around me, calculating how to kill enemies more efficiently, LIVING in that game world. Completely absurd and beautiful. Thank you Red Dead Redemption 2 for opening my eyes. I will remember you forever.

Confession moment: the Zelda games I have finished can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Their structure, at least when I was younger, sometimes confused me and, a mix of not reading where I had to go and inexperience, made me abandon them.

Tunic stands as a Zelda-like game but with a twist that everyone knows by now: the game starts very much like the very first Zelda, but gives the player no objective, no instructions. Instructions are provided to the player with pages from a game manual of the game itself, a meta idea that really made me smile and created that sense of 'let me check the instruction booklet' in me that I haven't had in a long time. The game is fluid, fun and a real pleasure to explore, precisely because it doesn't tell the player much about what to do. The story, despite not having ONE line of dialogue, is perfectly expressed with the environment and the short videos, which never cut through the action.

The game is a treat for those who like to find hidden secrets that require pen and paper to find. Without making spoilers, you'll reach the end of the game wanting to find every secret and, as mentioned, you'll have to take notes to do so, much like FEZ players did at the time.

Absolutely recommended game to generate in everyone that sense of passion for discovery that few games give us anymore!

It doesn't make much sense to give this game a date, as I played it last year and it won me back again this year. Just perfect because of the way it's structured:

-easy to remember EVERY SINGLE card, so you never have that "wait, what happened?" moment. If you lose, you know why.
-always nice that you get more cards by improving your cards (Heartstone should learn...).
-perfect for any moment. In the bathroom? Snap! At work (on break or even while pretending to work)? Snap! While you have to wait for the bus? SNAP!

Simply THE phone game at the moment for me!

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!

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!

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.