🚫 ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW IS AVAILABLE. READ MISC SECTION ON WHY 🚫

Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and The Millionaires' Conspiracy – Deluxe Edition brings less to the Nintendo Switch than the length of its name might suggest. As a remaster of a previously released game, the biggest differences lie in the audiovisual element, but there are new puzzles featured in this version. It's not a very demanding game and doesn't overtake the most significant games in the Layton series but this is a charming and welcoming introduction for those who have never explored the world of these adventure & detective games.
👉opencritic SUMMARY

Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and The Millionaires' Conspiracy – Deluxe Edition, a very long name for a game that may not be the most ambitious in the Professor Layton series, or even an entirely new game as this is a remaster of a previous game with some additional content but that's not an obstacle for delivering fun and creative puzzles and a charming overall atmosphere. Its relative lack of enough new content makes this a more difficult purchase for those already familiar with the original game but those just starting in the Layton series will have a good, enjoyable and welcoming introduction.
👉 metacritic SUMMARY

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◻️ ⚠️ Review originally written for FNintendo (defunct website) and published on November 10th, 2019. Full review is currently unavailable. Expect restored written piece translated into English.
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◻️ ✍️ in European Portuguese (Main body of text translated into English with A.I.)
◻️ 📜 Review Number 7

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🚫 ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW IS AVAILABLE. READ MISC SECTION ON WHY 🚫

Vampyr puts the player at the centre of a very well written plot where many sub-plots intertwine, with the player's actions seriously affecting the narrative developments that follow. This alone is very much worthy of praise, but the game's gothic atmosphere is outstanding. Vampyr's rather long loading times and occasional unstable performance can feel frustrating at times but the game undoubtedly brings an added value to Nintendo Switch owners.
👉opencritic SUMMARY

Vampyr brings a very well executed gothic and vampirical atmosphere to the Nintendo Switch, which sits really well with the game's outstanding plot and narrative developments. The game could do much better when it comes to its long loading times and sometimes unstable performance but these are not factors that end up harming an overall experience of interesting exploration and involving plot choices.
👉 metacritic SUMMARY

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◻️ ⚠️ Review originally written for FNintendo (defunct website) and published on November 9th, 2019. Full review is currently unavailable. Expect restored written piece translated into English.
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◻️ ✍️ in European Portuguese (Main body of text translated into English with A.I.)
◻️ 📜 Review Number 6

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ F I N

🚫 ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW IS AVAILABLE. READ MISC SECTION ON WHY 🚫

Corpse Party: Blood Drive is a visual novel that gets two crucial points right: its plot and its high quality writing. Quite the saviors, as the gameplay experience ends up getting harmed by a lack of player guidance and the use of 3D models feels entirely out of place of the game's theme. Nevertheless, those looking for an engaging plot and a detailed, descriptive writing that will keep the player focused for long hours have a good option in the form of Corpse Party: Blood Drive for the Nintendo Switch.
👉opencritic SUMMARY

Corpse Party: Blood Drive can be summed up as an experience that both thrills and frustrates. If the gameplay often feels maladjusted, with a lack of guidance given to the player and the unexplainable use of 3D models being very difficult to justify, the plot and writing easily stand out as exquisite and very likely to grab the player's attention and concentration for long hours, two absolutely vital elements for a visual novel.
👉 metacritic SUMMARY

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◻️ ⚠️ Review originally written for FNintendo (defunct website) and published on November 5th, 2019. Full review is currently unavailable. Expect restored written piece translated into English.
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◻️ ✍️ in European Portuguese (Main body of text translated into English with A.I.)
◻️ 📜 Review Number 5

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ F I N

🚫 ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW IS AVAILABLE. READ MISC SECTION ON WHY 🚫

Icewind Dale and Planescape: Torment land on the Nintendo Switch after their original premiere many years ago. It's always good to see relevant titles getting re-released on the Switch, in this case there are elements which still stand very well, such as the plot, the customization level and the huge amount of content. On the other hand, visually these games have not aged very well and the experience is not very well suited for newcomers or for a handheld format.
👉opencritic SUMMARY

Icewind Dale and Planescape: Torment are two games from a previous generation that now get the right to a Nintendo Switch release. While both titles included in this package feature a marvelous plot and many hours of content for a very customizable experience, its visual execution has aged rather poorly and the level of difficulty will put off many newcomers.
👉 metacritic SUMMARY

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◻️ ⚠️ Review originally written for FNintendo (defunct website) and published on October 31st, 2019. Full review is currently unavailable. Expect restored written piece translated into English.
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◻️ ✍️ in European Portuguese (Main body of text translated into English with A.I.)
◻️ 📜 Review Number 4

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ F I N

🚫 ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW IS AVAILABLE. READ MISC SECTION ON WHY 🚫

Ring Fit Adventure is unusual, strange, fun, well-structured and something which only Nintendo could have come up with. What could very well be a no-frills fitness app is actually a fully-fledged game with all the right ingredients and which can get the player to enjoy physical exercise, all while fulfilling the requirements to be an enjoyable game.
👉opencritic SUMMARY

Ring Fit Adventure could have simply been a plain fitness app but Nintendo would never let that happen. Ring Fit Adventure is an RPG where instead of a directional joystick and tapping of buttons, the player uses physical exercise to advance and it works like a charm where everything fits and flows just right and the addictive, well-designed and masterfully crafted experience that it is.
👉 metacritic SUMMARY

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◻️ ⚠️ Review originally written for FNintendo (defunct website) and published on October 21st, 2019. Full review is currently unavailable. Expect restored written piece translated into English.
◻️ 🌳 Don't forget to visit my Linktree here
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◻️ 🎮 And touch here to discover more Nintendo Switch video games I've played
◻️ ✍️ in European Portuguese (Main body of text translated into English with A.I.)
◻️ 📜 Review Number 3

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ F I N

🚫 ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW IS AVAILABLE. READ MISC SECTION ON WHY 🚫

Candleman is a simple game with a charming plot that could not stand out more for both its simplicity and uniqueness. Thanks to its praise-worthy level design Candleman is an experience that can easily become rewarding for anyone who wants to play it even for only 10 minutes, which makes it fit like a charm on the Nintendo Switch. There is not much more to Candleman, though, which is a pity as the game could offer much more if it was more ambitious.
👉opencritic SUMMARY

The experience of playing Candleman is as charming as it is simple. An action-adventure game with puzzles, designed around a candle questioning their reasons to live seems unusual enough but Candleman's level design and puzzles, which fit like a glove on the Nintendo Switch format, make this game something any player can immediately get attached to. Candleman would be an even better experience if it was more ambitious and went beyond its base concepts.
👉 metacritic SUMMARY

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ M I S C

◻️ ⚠️ Review originally written for FNintendo (defunct website) and published on October 16th, 2019. Full review is currently unavailable. Expect restored written piece translated into English.
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◻️ 🎮 And touch here to discover more Nintendo Switch video games I've played
◻️ ✍️ in European Portuguese (Main body of text translated into English with A.I.)
◻️ 📜 Review Number 2

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ F I N

🚫 ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW IS AVAILABLE. READ MISC SECTION ON WHY 🚫

Niffelheim's experience is one of 2D action and survival with RPG elements, though it doesn't quite succeed in all of them. There's a remarkable lack of customization choices, the combat is too simplistic and the difficulty level peaks suddenly but that doesn't mean Niffelheim doesn't do a good job on its survival angle, as well as on its art style and use of mythology in its lore and plot.
👉opencritic SUMMARY

Despite its excessive simplicity when it comes to combat and the lack of customization choices, the game features a captivating art style and does a good job when it comes to the survival experience. Pity it doesn't go all the way towards excelling in all its other elements.
👉 metacritic SUMMARY

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ M I S C

◻️ ⚠️ Review originally written for FNintendo (defunct website) and published on October 9th, 2019. Full review is currently unavailable. Expect restored written piece translated into English.
◻️ 🌳 Don't forget to visit my Linktree here
◻️ 🙋‍♂️ Also tap here to find more reviews of mine
◻️ 🎮 And touch here to discover more Nintendo Switch video games I've played
◻️ ✍️ in European Portuguese (Main body of text translated into English with A.I.)
◻️ 📜 Review Number 1

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🔔 While images may captivate the view, it's analysis that unveils what's true. 🔔

To sum it up, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 presents more than enough reasons to win over even the most skeptical JRPG enthusiast. Those who have followed the saga since its inception, on the modest Nintendo Wii, will find that Monolith Soft has demonstrated an evolutionary capacity like few teams have to date. Hold on, reader. This jumble of words sounds like a conclusion, right? I apologize. This isn't the typical preamble of a review. It's quite fitting, though, because Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is no ordinary video game either. Channel your inner Shulk and start feeling the power of the Monado, just like in the first Xenoblade Chronicles, going back in time to the true beginning of this review.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the latest product from Monolith Soft, one of Nintendo's most prolific developers since their acquisition in 2007. This latest iteration in the franchise continues within the action RPG genre (for which it is known) and is one of the most anticipated sequels for a saga that laid the groundwork for how to produce an open world. Expect frenetic battles, stunning landscapes, an emotional plot, and a soundtrack that will undoubtedly be an instant classic. I confidently confirm that everything achieved by the aforementioned team was mere preparation for the colossus that is named Xenoblade Chronicles 3.

That said, it reaches a point where it is possible to assert that Monolith Soft masters the art of building not only fantastic and gigantic worlds, but also a captivating plot and a fluid narrative, something I will delve into in great detail shortly (without spoilers beyond the first few hours and main premise) to explain why; on another note, reflecting on the opening act of the aforementioned title, its greatest achievement lies in the leap from pre-rendered graphics to real-time graphics. This will certainly be a direct inspiration from Lost Odyssey on the Xbox 360 where, after an explosive and captivating cinematic, the player is thrust into the midst of the action they were witnessing, likely surprising those glued to their seats.

I admit, however, that the plot Monolith Soft has concocted for fans is nothing if not deliciously bizarre in theory, and very cliché anime in practice: in a world engulfed in conflict, we control characters who are born as adolescents with only ten years to live. The first years are spent training for said conflict, where few ever reach the prophesied limit imposed. Since society lives so fiercely by this aggressive and short-lived concept of life, all lives lost are celebrated not only for the act of heroic sacrifice but also for another, even more peculiar reason.

I say peculiar because the cycle that binds two warring factions is crucial to their survival. Not directly for reasons considered futile, but because each individual is born linked to a Flame Clock, a mysterious object that requires a special sustenance: the life essence of an enemy to remain lit, otherwise all linked to it perish. As expected, this mechanic heightens and perpetuates both sides of the story, inciting conflict repeatedly not only because they disagree on how to live, but also because they see no other option to survive. That said, thanks to the irony of fate and somewhat to the Gods of writing, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 presents us with well-founded reasons to bring together characters from both factions, towards an epic of grand proportions with a common goal.

Here, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 transforms its narrative to accommodate characters in action, narrowing the progress of the plot on one hand but, mysteriously, expanding it as well. It may seem peculiar and contradictory, especially given the aforementioned description, but at the heart of the aforementioned title, the plot's soul revolves around the characters we follow for hours. It's the bonds built and tragedies witnessed, the shattered ideals and tested ambitions; so many elements to consider that it would be unfair of me to provide you with the least detail. As they say in good Portuguese, "he who feels nothing is not inherently good" Xenoblade Chronicles 3 manages to provide fabulous moments, both during the chapters and at the end of each one, by knowing its narrative tools so well and what to do with them, leaving everyone tense with revelations and twists.

It's worth mentioning that even those who have never played anything from the saga will be able to follow the story. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has a very unique plot that doesn't depend on previous entries to make sense. You'll get more out of it if you play the previous ones, but nothing is essential to understand and follow the narrative; this is yet another excellent decision by Monolith Soft to accommodate new players to this very important release for Nintendo in 2022.

None of this would be possible without an important feature for complete immersion: the cinematics. The entire presentation, from the slowest moment to the most frenetic, is conducted with excellent pacing; dare I say, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 boasts some of the best cutscenes (which can be interrupted or skipped at any time) in recent memory, especially for a Japanese RPG where competition is fierce. Fans of good narrative structures will understand that these are designed around the main characters, highlighting their feats and amplifying the dramatic moments like any well-written series would. It's an achievement partly reached thanks to the invaluable help of the soundtrack, a work as good as the previous iterations of the saga, where each theme and instrumental sets the tone and feeling to be evoked, whether in battle or in a calm and crucial moment for the development of these mismatched heroes. The music of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is one that will evoke memories of its passages, years from now, when we happen upon one of the tracks on YouTube and Spotify. That said, I recommend using a good headset with 5.1 sound capability, something this title supports.

However, for as many odes and glories I sing in the name of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and its subsequent plot, not all narrative elements are executed flawlessly. Much material is reused over and over again, almost insulting the player who is paying attention to the epic. I don't want to contradict myself, but despite loving the cutscenes, I feel that some were stretched to the maximum; all the juice squeezed to the tiniest drop, similar to what happens to a weekly shonen anime episode with twenty minutes. By criticizing this specific point, I find myself in a duality: on one hand, I understand the decision to extend certain sequences; there are concepts and ideas that must be repeated ad infinitum to create anticipation, but on the other hand, those who are already familiar with the genre will know when to pay attention and what to take note of.

Still, nothing in the series will be as much of a relief as what several fans of the franchise will recognize next: the side quests have been vastly improved. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 almost abhors the popularly titled fetch quests, missions outside the main plot that force the player to fulfill objectives like collecting a certain number of materials or destroying a certain number of enemies. In contrast, there are several available side quests, properly labeled, that explore the past of teammates or even the life in villages scattered throughout the world, enriching the experience of those who seek to use their free time to pursue these quests.

Speaking of free time, it's of note that Monolith Soft has managed to improve its greatest asset in this industry: world building. The environment we traverse is astonishing, filled with sights ranging from cliffs to mountainous plains with various shortcuts and paths to reach the intended destination, making exploration stunning in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Where this particular iteration scores points is in a feature called show quest route, a completely optional alternative (for those who recently came from an Elden Ring) that shows the path you have to follow to your objective. It may seem counterproductive for a title of this size, but for those who get lost very easily, or have a terrible sense of direction like myself, this option allows me to explore at my own pace, always knowing that I can turn on the GPS when necessary.

So much said and not a single sentence about combat yet. Assuming you don't know how the saga works, it's a chaotic third-person party of automatic attacks, flashy abilities (called Arts), and constant yelling in British English. It's during a battle that the chosen character automatically attacks an enemy when close to it, always with free movement, with buttons triggering various special abilities following an RPG mold: healing other characters, drawing hostility, etc. Some, however, require a more strategic positioning to work at one hundred percent and, knowing in advance that you often control six characters during combat, all of this seems a bit confusing and difficult to handle, but the graphical interface, however cluttered it may seem, does a good job of conveying the most important information to you in an easy and fast way.

Very early in the adventure of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, you acquire the ability to change the characters' classes, and as these are fully mastered, new Arts are learned that will take more time to build different combinations to optimize the potential of each combatant. Furthermore, each member of your team plays one of three roles: Attacker, Defender, and Healer, and the way everything is mechanically packaged, the best comparison would be made with a traditional MMO (Massive-Multiplayer Online). It's a spectacular system that provides immense freedom to those who know how to take advantage of it, but on the other hand, it's where a divisive issue arises. Since the graphical interface needs to accommodate all these elements, it's not uncommon to enter a battle and lose track of what's happening due to the excessive amount of information transmitted. Indeed, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 bombards you with small text cards during the adventure, explaining something new or different, until the credits roll.

Still, once you hit cruise speed, Xenoblade Chronicles 3-s combat is a true delight. Automatic attacks, powerful Arts, attack combinations, Chain Attacks, and now a novelty that transforms characters into an even more powerful being, together with the class system described above, make this aspect of gameplay one of the most polished elements in the franchise. Everything helps to create a system that is addictive, invigorating, and one of the most enjoyable in the title. However, not wanting to end on a harsh note, the only serious flaw of this Xenoblade (and others) is not being able to turn off voices during battles. It's genuinely so annoying to hear the same expression over and over again in every battle, as a result of activating an Art or something else.

It wouldn't be possible to enjoy all these elements at their best without the excellent optimization in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Monolith Soft has spared no effort and managed to do more and better than previous iterations. Not only is the performance solid, with constant thirty frames per second and frame pacing, both in handheld and console mode, but the environment seems to have even more content compared to the first and second adventure. I believe I can confirm that it is the most visually impressive title on the Nintendo Switch, a machine whose hardware wasn't even top of the line in 2017. There are areas or battles where the performance drops a bit as expected, but nothing aggravating and certainly not on the level of Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ C O N C L U S I O N

In summary, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 presents more than enough reasons to win over even the most skeptical JRPG lover. Those who have followed the saga since its inception on the modest Nintendo Wii will see that Monolith Soft has demonstrated an evolutionary capacity like few teams have until today. The combat is exhilarating and tactical with the introduction of new elements, the world is unique and gigantic, impressing even on the Switch, and the plot is equally emotional and dramatic, bringing forth a tear or two. But this adventure also has its weak points: dialogue that can't be turned off during combat, a graphical interface often too busy, and some cinematics that drag on for too long without purpose. Still, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 represents an excellent epic in all respects, being a serious contender for game of the year at least in the RPG category.

Positive Points:
✅ Real-time combat that rewards experimentation;
✅ Captivating plot with a range of interesting characters;
✅ Spectacular open world with immense detail that rewards exploration;
✅ Overall attractive presentation with a very unique artistic style;
✅ Soundtrack full of emotional melodies;
✅ Performance on the Nintendo Switch considering the hardware;

Negative Points:
❌ Graphical interface often too busy;
❌ Irritating expressions and dialogue in battles;
❌ Some cinematic sequences drag on too long;

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _M I S C

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◻️ 📝 Click here for the website link published on August 15th, 2022
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◻️ ✍️ in European Portuguese (translated into English with A.I.)
◻️ 📜 Review Number XX

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ F I N

Após experienciar tudo o que Azure Striker GUNVOLT 3 tem para oferecer permanece difícil continuar a classificar esta saga de entre os indies. Vou mais longe e digo que, dentro do género, esta terceira iteração é um eletrificante triplo A em todos os aspetos presentes como jogabilidade, grafismo ou banda sonora.

Sendo fã da saga isto deixa-me radiante, especialmente depois de analisar as duas últimas entradas no ID@DUMMIES, conseguindo apreciar a evolução e constante mudança de direção, personagens e temas pela INTI CREATES jogo após jogo, nunca esquecendo os alicerces principais que tanto a caracterizam; GUNVOLT 1 focou-se na titular personagem Gunvolt, GUNVOLT 2 apresentou duas estórias paralelas com Gunvolt e Copen e este GUNVOLT 3 apresenta Kirin com um Gunvolt bem assente na bancada dos suplentes.

Porém, infelizmente, não obstante o número 3 indicar que esta é uma sequela, mais uma vez o enredo fica para segundo plano não só narrativamente, mas também por perpetuar uma estória confusa e convoluta.

Feliz fico por confirmar que, mais uma vez, a jogabilidade é o ponto mais forte em Azure Striker GUNVOLT 3. Controlar a nova protagonista diz-te que, na sua terceira iteração, os alicerces da saga assentes na jogabilidade run-and-gun, não demonstram intenções de abrandar com uma forma diferente de jogar, apostando num estilo de combate que chega a ser tão defensivo como ofensivo.

Devido à curva de aprendizagem dos outros títulos a INTI CREATES colocou as suas fichas em algo diferente, apostando em habilidades que facilitam a jogabilidade momentânea, mas com vários modificadores para aumentar a dificuldade geral. Uma das novidades que surpreendeu pela postiva foram as Image Pulses, objetos vindos de um sistema à lá gacha que está muito bem ligado à progressão de nível da heroína, ajudando saudavelmente à replayability do título.

Visualmente este representa o melhor em pixel art que a INTI CREATES já deu à luz desde que há memória. Todas as animações têm um nível absurdo de detalhe embutido, e nem estou a mencionar o número ridículo de imagens 2D que ilustram os momentos mais pivotais do enredo.

Isto tudo, em conjunto com a banda sonora rica e uma possibilidade de, pela primeira vez, jogar com uma dobragem em inglês, fazem de Azure Striker GUNVOLT 3 um dos títulos mais fáceis de recomendar dentro do género e, devido aos meandros do enredo, é perfeitamente aconselhável começar por esta iteração independentemente do teu conhecimento sobre a franquia.

| Plataformas | Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S e PC
| Género | Plataformas
| Estúdio | INTI CREATES
| Publicadora | INTI CREATES
| Preço | 25,99€

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See more @ https://dummies.pt/iddummies-fornada-no15-de-indies/
Mini-review written in European Portuguese
Played on Xbox Series S
Published on 21/10/2022

Surpreendendo todos os interessados, sensação dos indies Rick Henderson é um `shoot ‘em up situado no espaço de boa qualidade. A Eastasiasoft tem por hábito misturar-se com estes videojogos peculiares, mas este é uma aposta certeira dentro do género para os fãs; barato e simples o suficiente para convidar a sensação de “só mais um jogo” para puristas que gostam de percorrer maratonas atrás das maiores pontuações.

Para ser franco não existe tanto conteúdo assim (Standard Endless Mode, Hard Endless Mode e Boss Raid Mode) que justifique um ciclo vicioso, este então caracterizado pela jogabilidade sólida: boa locomoção da nave, bom feedback dos tiros da mesma e uma collision detection que faz inveja a outros tantos. É só isto e funciona. Não existe, por assim dizer, um enredo ou estória digna da tua atenção, mas sim um núcleo de ideias bem executadas.

Dentro de cada nível, estes relativamente simples para o efeito com ondas de inimigos que parecem não terminar (daí o nome Endless), existe uma componente engraçada sustentada por aleatoriedade que afeta os inimigos que aparecem à tua frente tentando, dentro do possível, manter a aventura sempre refrescante e ligeiramente diferente todas as vezes.

O verdadeiro brilho de Rick Henderson, no entanto, encontra-se nas armas que cada nave (três à escolha) pode ter com os vários power-ups dentro de cada nível. Apesar de só existirem três armas principais, estas podem ser melhoradas até nove vezes por forma a parecer que estão disponíveis vinte e sete armas diferentes, oferecendo alguma diferenciação para combater a aparente falta de variedade.

No final de cada nível e após derrotar o boss, o elemento aleatório continua, escolhendo uma de quatro regalias para introduzir modificadores (como aumentar os pontos a troco de outros elementos) que alteram a experiência e facilitam ou dificultam o nível atual.

Posto isto, Rick Henderson é dos shoot ‘em ups mais divertidos em memória recente com um estilo artístico bombástico que salta à vista, reforçado por uma jogabilidade divertida mas simples, convidando continuadamente a jogar só mais uma vez, várias vezes ao dia.

| Plataformas | Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch e PC
| Género | Acção, Shoot ‘em up
| Estúdio | Eastasiasoft Limited, Fat Pug Studio
| Publicadora | Eastasiasoft Limited
| Preço | 24,99€

____________________________________________

See more @ https://dummies.pt/iddummies-fornada-no14-indies/
Mini-review written in European Portuguese
Played on Xbox Series S
Published on 11/10/2022

Caso sejas um amante de Rampage (para os fãs mais retro) e de violência desmedida pixelizada, então a próxima oferta indie de ID@XBOX vai ao encontro dos teus gostos: Gigapocalypse, um título divertido e barato desenvolvido pela Goody Gameworks com foco em ação arcade devido à sua destruição simples mas incessante, e um claro elemento Tamagotchi misturado pelo meio do qual nunca teriam previsto! Aliado a isto encontra-se, claro, um amor e homenagem ao muito badalado estilo cinematográfico Kaiju e subsequentes filmes do Godzilla.

Gigapocalypse é, na verdade, um videojogo em duas partes a nível da jogabilidade, muito por causa do suprareferido. Por um lado, dispomos da vertente arcade, uma aventura sidescroller onde controlamos a locomoção e ataques do nosso Kaiju até ao final do nível, destruindo tudo e todos pelo caminho.

Esta é uma componente divertida, mas rapidamente repetitiva pois, fora as habilidades especiais adquiridas ao longo da aventura, é um caso de “gira o disco e toca o mesmo”. Por outro, existe a componente Tamagotchi, e esta lida com as necessidades emocionais e fisiológicas do bichinho. Aqui passamos a outra parte do tempo para conseguir melhorar as suas capacidades para a destruição anteriormente referida ser mais efetiva.

Posto isto Gigapocalypse não é de todo um jogo para estar horas a fio no vício, mas sim em curtos impulsos de dez a quinze minutos. Desta forma, o combate repetitivo não torna a aventura tão monótona, mas sim muito mais divertida e apreciável.

Vale também pelas cores vivas da excelente direção artística e pela aparente longevidade com os vários Kaiju que podes domar. Pelo preço simpático e pelo conceito refrescante, consegue ser uma recomendação mais fácil que outras tantas.

| Plataformas | Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch e PC
| Género | Acção, Shooter
| Estúdio | Goody Gameworks
| Publicadora | Headup GmbH
| Preço | 9,99€

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See more @ https://dummies.pt/iddummies-fornada-no13-de-indies/
Mini-review written in European Portuguese
Played on Xbox Series S
Published on 27/09/2022

A KEMCO não é uma empresa indie portuguesa, mas se fosse com certeza que o lema seria “mais uma moedinha, mais uma voltinha”. Durante anos a fio, a editora colou a sua imagem a videojogos fortemente inspirados no RPG Maker, uma decisão que, apesar de marcar pela diferença, possa não ser a mais sensata dado à qualidade dos mesmos.

Opiniões pessoais de parte e admitindo que estou a ser um pouco mauzinho, a KEMCO tem refinado uma ou outra jóia do Nilo neste deserto de JRPGs: Blacksmith of the Sand Kingdom, Raging Loop (Visual Novel) , Dragon Sinker e outros são prova que a editora consegue financiar qualidade. Gale of Windoria não é uma miragem e apresenta-se como mais um que merece a tua atenção.

Considero o enredo principal deste indie entusiasmante o suficiente ser jogado do início ao fim, apesar de alguns problemas narrativos como padding na história. São algumas as sequências que nada adicionam à trama, prolongando a longevidade do título sem necessidade.

Os visuais, por outro lado, são distintamente retro, mas criminosamente parecidos às tantas outras ofertas no cardápio da KEMCO. Se já viste um RPG de RPG Maker, então já viste todos os outros. Contudo, também admito que o estilo artístico empregue é divertido a ponto de se destacar por alguma originalidade.

É o combate, no entanto, pelo qual o indie Gale of Windoria mais se destaca. Durante as batalhas as personagens dispõem de simples ataques e habilidades especiais, mas não é possível utilizar itens conforme outros JRPG convencionais. Para isso são equipados Quartzes, objetos ligados ao enredo que proporcionam mais habilidades, tanto ativas ou passivas, como ataques de um elemento natural, poderes de cura e outros! Cada personagem pode ter até cinco destas peças místicas, radicalmente transformando as batalhas em situações mais táticas.

É graças a este sistema algo inovador que é mais fácil recomendar Gale of Windoria. Porém, se não fores fã do tipo de JRPG em questão, então não existem outros argumentos que façam mudar-te de ideias.

| Plataformas | Android, iOS, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch e PC
| Género | Aventura, RPG
| Estúdio | Hit-Point
| Publicadora | KEMCO
| Preço | 14,99€

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See more @ https://dummies.pt/iddummies-fornada-no13-de-indies/
Mini-review written in European Portuguese
Played on Xbox Series S
Published on 27/09/2022

Digam o que disserem, mas a QUByte tem sido prolífera em reanimar videojogos já considerados retro e esquecidos. Esta coleção de shoot ‘em ups em análise, de nome Thunderbolt, é mais um prato indie no cardápio da QUByte Interactive; sob uma linha intitulada QUByte Classics.

Dado a minha ignorância pelos títulos em epígrafe, fiz o trabalho de casa e, curiosamente, para algo com a palavra coleção, são adquiridos apenas dois jogos muito semelhantes: Thunderbolt Fighting Plane (NES, 1993/1995) e Thunderbolt II (Sega Mega Drive, 1995).

Ambos os títulos indies (são populares entre colecionadores por não serem licenciados) são shoot ‘em ups na vertical, situados no espaço com o objetivo principal de voar sempre para cima, destruindo vários inimigos pelo caminho e adquirindo múltiplos power-ups em sucessão. A versão da NES, no entanto, deixa muito a desejar: jogabilidade e combate aéreo bastante superficial sem ímpeto algum, a movimentação da nave é desajeitada e pesada para o que é exigido em ecrã, assim como a animação de vários inimigos não transmite fluidez de movimento.

Já a versão da Mega Drive consegue ser melhor, mas por pouco: a apresentação continua a ser muito pobre, especialmente para um género que depende muito do eye candy em exposição, ainda por mais com uma dificuldade brutal que existe apenas para prolongar a sua longevidade curtíssima. Sendo que ambos foram modernizados até certo ponto, existe um pequeno leque de opções especiais: alterar o aspect ratio, adicionar filtros que suavizam ou introduzem scanlines e savestates.

Dito tudo isto, é difícil recomendar a coleção a não ser que estejas faminto por nostalgia retro, mas tanto a Xbox como as outras plataformas dispõem de títulos shoot ‘em up (ou shmups) vastamente superiores à oferta em questão.

| Plataformas | Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 e Nintendo Switch
| Género | Acção, Shoot ‘Em Up
| Estúdio | PIKO Interactive LLC
| Publicadora | QUByte Interactive
| Preço | 7,99€

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See more @ https://dummies.pt/iddummies-fornada-no11-de-indies/
Mini-review written in European Portuguese
Played on Xbox Series S
Published on 12/09/2022

Ao contrário do dissabor causado por títulos indies como Mighty No. 9, Frogun foi um kickstarter de aparente sucesso em parte pelo seu aspeto e jogabilidade retro, relembrando os bons tempos das (agora) velhinhas PlayStation e Nintendo 64. Contudo, admito que o maior chamariz provém do grafismo empregue sem filtros manhosos, este picando o meu sentimento nostálgico pelo especialíssimo Mega Man Legends.

Fora uma premissa básica, esta um mero mecanismo para propulsionar o jogador, Frogun entrega, pela maior parte, uma aventura bem construída com recurso a uma engenhoca que serve como gancho, e com todos os elementos expectáveis de uma odisseia reminiscente do final dos anos noventa e início dos dois mil.

Vou mais além e digo que é uma aventura indie sempre a assapar! São, sensivelmente, sete a oito horas de conteúdo (mais ainda se gostares de desbloquear as trinta e uma proezas) por uma dezena de níveis, comparáveis com o Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker da Nintendo. Contudo, nem todos os elementos harmonizam-se entre si. Frogun luta contra si próprio em vários momentos devido a, ironicamente, problemas associados à época inspirada.

Sempre senti que a perspetiva isométrica nunca encalhasse bem com a câmara para alterar a minha perspetiva na caça aos vários colecionáveis dispostos em cada nível. Apesar de momentaneamente divertido, Frogun sofre também de uma dificuldade desnecessária em parte dado a escassez de checkpoints que suavizem os erros cometidos, muitos deles por imprecisão de controlos a saltar ou às turras contra a câmara).

Existe ainda uma decisão que não se compreende quanto aos colecionáveis: quando a personagem morre todos os itens mudam de sítio, causando frustração quando muitas das mortes são injustas. Não obstante essas falhas, Frogun como um conceito resulta o suficiente caso estejas disponível a ignorar uma ou outra falha, abraçando de perto tudo o que um 3D platformer à antiga acarrete consigo. É uma aventura longa e repleta de charme por uma época há muito perdida até recentemente.

| Plataformas | Xbox Series S|X, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch e PC
| Género | Aventura, Familiar, Plataformas
| Estúdio | Molegato
| Publicadora | Top Hat Studios
| Preço | 14,99€

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See more @ https://dummies.pt/iddummies-fornada-no9-de-indies/
Mini-review written in European Portuguese
Played on Xbox Series S
Published on 30/08/2022

Como um fanático mais casual de terror (o meu filme favorito de sempre é Alien (79’) de Ridley Scott) e um ávido fã das propriedades Silent Hill, Siren e Evil Within, entrei a pés juntos para analisar DreadOut 2. Como todo o crítico profissional, antes de aceitar seja o que for, efetuei uma leve pesquisa: aventura em terceira pessoa reminiscente de Fatal Frame, survival horror como género, horror indonésio e paranormal; tanto elemento mesclado que gritava a indie obscuro de sucesso recaindo no deleite confortável dos meus gostos pessoais.

Não obstante as suas claras e óbvias inspirações, também esperava algumas falhas, claro, afinal de contas é um videojogo sem os muitos dólares de orçamento como tantos outros, mas valha-me Deus Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Fátima em Cristo que eu não estava há espera disto. DreadOut 2 é tão mau que só peca pela falta da sinalética de Risco Biológico, pois claramente não saí da experiência como a mesma pessoa; não se nota pela escrita?

Devia pedir desculpa pelas palavras duras e ásperas? Devia, mas não vou fazê-lo. DreadOut 2 vence, em certa medida, na atmosfera criada e um ou outro inimigo cujo design é minimamente interessante, mas o restante é tão sofrível que fico, honestamente, espantado que alguém tenha dado luz verde para este jogo ser comercializado. Dito isso um dos grandes problemas presentes em DreadOut 2 é este tentar inspirar-se em múltiplas temáticas ao mesmo tempo: um mundo aberto, mas vazio em conteúdo e espírito, mundos paralelos à lá Silent Hill, com quebra-cabeças ilógicos e um combate desajeitado de fraca precisão, Fatal Frame da Wish com a câmara fotográfica (irritante de manusear e imprecisa); DreadOut 2 é uma mistela de tudo e nada ao mesmo tempo, com ênfase no ‘nada’.

Podia ser só isso, mas existem mais arestas por limar. Contudo os seguintes se calhar nem com uma lixadora da BLAUPUNKT: objetos que aparecem aleatoriamente na visão do jogador, personagens com animações estranhas ou falta delas, texture pop-in muito frequente e todo o Inglês do título escrito quase regurgitado dos anais mais profundos do Google Tradutor.

Como se não bastasse, o clímax do videojogo é insatisfatório e deixa mais perguntas no ar do que respostas; terminando com aquele familiar sentimento de “é só isto?”. Quase oito ou nove horas de história intoleráveis que não desejo a ninguém. Eu juro que queria gostar de DreadOut 2, porque toda a temática apela à minha pessoa, mas não foi possível. Vou mais longe e deixo um apelo: não percam tempo com isto. Encontrem outra coisa, outro título, mas fiquem longe desta abominação.

| Plataformas | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S e PC
| Género | Terror
| Estúdio | Digital Happiness e Kittehface
| Publicadora | Digerati
| Preço | 19,99€

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See more @ https://dummies.pt/iddummies-fornada-no6-de-indies/
Mini-review written in European Portuguese
Played on Xbox Series S
Published on 09/08/2022