Hiero de Lima's Reviews
Never 7 - The End of Infinity is a complicated and uncomfortable reading that's only worth it for those who love visual novels (or Kotaro Uchikoshi's works) and has an interest in the genre's history: there are good things in the end of the horribly tiring line, but up to then, it's necessary to be very patient. The mistreatment of the remasterization and localization also doesn't do any favors to the material, which is already weak at many points from the start.
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Despite laying some solid groundwork, inKONBINI: One Store. Many Stories. occupies itself far too much with the platonic, disconcerting conception Nagai Industries has of the Japanese convenience store as some sort of social hub, while at the same time treating the backdrop of the country as mere aesthetics at best and a nuisance to Western audiences at worst. It’s conclusive proof that fascination doesn’t necessarily equal respect.
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As a gaming experience and sensory stimulation, People of Note does get to satisfy; the real issue lies in the uninteresting, overlooked and empty story the gameplay tries to sustain. To Brazilian eyes, the text gets even worse with a just as poorly done localisation to our language. Those who wish to venture into Note and meet a genuinely well-crafted RPG will have to endure several issues.
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Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties has no interest in the source material other than trying to adapt it to the tired formula of mass appeal that Masayoshi Yokoyama perfected when he took over as head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. In the process, the game forgets everything that made the original story a landmark of the franchise and replaces it with a thick coat of corporate varnish. Unfortunate associations and certain narrative decisions also make the experience hard to swallow. A true disappointment in the franchise, of the kind that has, unfortunately, become more common over time — perhaps it's time for the end of the annual format.
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Dustborn is a good story, with good characters, but it completely lost its way trying to be more than it needed to be. Its best ideas end up being buried in a torrent of poorly developed elements that, at the same time, take up too much of the story's time. It would have been a perfect Life Is Strange-style game, if it didn't want to prove its own existence to people who will never be interested.
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Loco Motive is charming at times, but the constant scars of its nature as the studio's first game prevent the experience from realizing its full potential. With a little more polish and a better balance between tragedy and comedy, Robust Games could have made something truly special, but they ended up with something frustratingly far from the finish line.
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Architect Life: A House Design Simulator works — and that’s the long and short of it. There is no secret behind these four walls: it is simply a house-building simulator that, despite probably running better than leviathan The Sims 4 in certain computers, doesn’t present a lot of variety beyond that. It is worth it for those looking for a relaxing title, but consider comparing it to other options in the market.
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Best Served Cold has its merits as a story, but its poorly built gameplay keeps the title from being more than a mere curiosity. More time in the fridge would have made these fine drinks ice-cold — the final product, however, highlights its flaws more than anything else.
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Catto’s Post Office is not one of those works that will live in your brain for months. At most, it will grant you a fun afternoon and a chuckle or two — and that’s all it needs to do. Its lack of substance isn’t exactly a point against it, but those who enjoy complex narratives and intricate gameplay may need to seek a different game.
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Slime Rancher 2 is no great revolution — and it’s also not really trying to be one. The game fulfills its big ideas quite well in terms of gameplay, but it wouldn’t be a bad thing if it dared to dream a little bigger. It’s good entertainment that could’ve made more of an effort to become great.
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Spilled! is, in sum, an educational game whose "game" half doesn't work as well as it should, but it still deserves a fair shot. With the debate around the Earth's health being polarised as it is, it is important that there exist works that aren't afraid to show audiences what a lack of sustainable development does to the place we all live in.
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Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 doesn’t close the book on the tale of the four girls from Velvet Cove in the best of ways, but the issues with this finale don’t cancel out the narrative’s extremely high quality and certainly don’t diminish the splendor of Tape 1. Even though it’s a little dire sometimes, the sum of both parts is still one of the best adventure games of the year.
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Despite its horror appearance, Schrödinger's Call is a kindhearted story with a lot to say about human nature. Armed with a beautiful visual aesthetic, the game plays around with conventions and audience expectations to deliver a story that's short, heartfelt and hard to forget. It's highly recommended to those who like visual novels and narrative games with a more austere presentation.
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Neve operates in a reduced space and knows very well how to utilise every inch of it. It makes one dream: what could such a talented team make with more resources? With luck (and, hopefully, help from the specialised press over here), this will be the proof of concept that shows the potential of great Brazilian professionals to the wider industry. Those who like narrative adventures cannot miss this game.
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The Roottrees are Dead, just like the giants in the image of which it models itself, is unmissable for any aspiring detectives out there seeking a good mystery to unravel. The game delivers a lean experience, user-friendly no matter the skill level, and now in Brazilian Portuguese as well.
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Despite being divided between cruel winters and rotting corpses, the Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven expansion revitalises the original game in practically every aspect, offering hours of new content and strategy elements to those already at the finishing line of the main campaign. The pursuit of reuniting a fallen goddess with her old glory is a worthy one.
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MakeRoom finds its own niche and can harness all aspects it offers very well, despite light occasional slip-ups. To those seeking simple comfort and an outlet for creative expression, you can’t go wrong with this one.
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No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES doesn’t fix all the mistakes the franchise has made along the years and keeps vehemently insisting upon some of them, but it marks an excellent step to reconquer the hearts of those who were let down by the prior entry. It’s worth playing for all longtime fans of the series: players will find plenty of pleasant surprises, wrapped in fun escape rooms and Kotaro Uchikoshi’s classic screwball comedy.
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The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is the exact game Kodaka, Uchikoshi and co. promise it is, in every way. Those already familiar with these authors' work will receive something that is, at the same time, well within expectations and completely out there, all wrapped up in the form of a fun and challenging tactical RPG. Even those who don't have time for all the endings should come and meet the Special Defense Unit.
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Despite issues with difficulty settings, Infinity Nikki proves to be a great and accessible option for those looking for a fair gacha and a good open world, while painting the outlines of a more intriguing narrative than it seems. Exploring every corner of a beautiful fantasy land has never been so stylish!
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