IGN

Much like its hero, Stealth Inc. could easily blend into a lineup of samey-feeling puzzle-platformers at a glance, but on closer examination it finds ways to conspicuously impress and entertain. Its stealth and puzzle mechanics are first rate, but its foreboding look and feel are what really set it apart. This is not one you want to miss.

Saddled with a story that just barely makes sense and devoid of any kind of complex gameplay, Attack of the Friday Monsters nonetheless conjures a powerful sense of place and regional character. It’s a relaxing and charming little adventure priced rather out of its comfort zone, but it is not without value.

Rogue Legacy is one of my favourite games of 2013 so far. It’s a hugely compelling mix of 2D action-platforming and Roguelike game design, with excellent pixel art and just the right level of challenge. It’s the wildly inventive traits system, however – and the fact that it’s meaningful – that really elevates Rogue Legacy. This is a game with a genuinely unique hook, and the gameplay stones to back it up. Clever, creative, and addictive as hell.

I'm very pleased to see a good new RPG in this classic isometric style, and its The Dead Man's Switch story has some well-told twists while it lasts, and the light tactical combat has enough depth to make it a worthwhile adventure. But the bite-sized scope and limited choices available make me more interested to see what Shadowrun Returns will be a year from now, after the community has used the included mod tools to build on it, than in what it is today.

Dynasty Warriors 8 introduce un paio di (più o meno) ambiziose innovazioni nella solita ricetta musou a base d’infinite battaglie affollate che ben conosciamo. Al congenito affollamento, ora si affiancano altre due “a”: ambizione e affinità. Ovvero, una nuova modalità di gioco e delle novità nel combat system che aggiungono un po’ di sale strategico e tattico alla solita minestra beat ’em up. Tre “a” che, però, di certo non bastano a fare di Dynasty Warriors 8 un gioco tripla “A”, che tra l’altro mai uscirebbe sul mercato in una versione (Xbox 360) con dei rallentamenti tanto evidenti da renderla quasi ingiocabile.

Dota 2 deserves its intimidating reputation, and it probably won’t suit you if you’re looking to play casually. There’s a huge time investment before you can even enjoy a game, let alone feel competent at it. But once you start to learn its secrets, there’s a wild and exciting variety of play here that’s unmatched, even by its peers. It’s a challenge of knowledge as well as reflexes, and success is a rush.

Non potendo scegliere liberamente quale delle due ragazze comandare, dato che il cambio di ruolo dipende dai passaggi di livello (o dall'uso di un certo oggetto), le battaglie rischierebbero persino di diventare interessanti, poiché potrebbero esserci nemici meno facili da affrontare con alcuni dei poteri sbloccati. Peccato però che il più delle volte basti caricare una qualche magia per avere la meglio su chicchessia. Insomma, Time and Eternity proprio non ce la fa.

R.I.P.D. refuses to let itself be a fun co-op shooter. Whether it’s failing to explain how to win, use abilities, or find out how many lives I have left, or just making it hard to find someone to play with, it holds itself back at every turn. While this isn't among the worst movie video game tie-ins, it certainly doesn’t buck the trend of mediocrity. It’s simply… not arresting.

Velocity Ultra doesn't have screen-clearing super weapons or massive, three-stage boss fights like a lot of its vertically scrolling cousins do. But with its clever teleporting trick, it does something completely different from most of them and it does it extremely well. While it doesn't do it quite the way you expect, Velocity Ultra issues a worthy challenge to shmup fans with its well-laid-out levels and a unique mix of mechanics.

Stealth Inc. è veramente pieno di idee brillanti, nessuna delle quali magari particolarmente innovativa, ma tutte perfettamente congegnate per inserirsi al meglio fra le pieghe del gameplay. Il gioco è diviso in otto aree da altrettanti livelli ciascuna, ognuna delle quali introduce una nuova meccanica e la mescola piano piano alle altre.